| Plantains look like big bananas and they are often used | | | | soft, central plant stalk are often cooked and eaten. |
| in savory dishes. They are a starchy fruit, which is | | | | Steamed plantains are considered a healthy food for |
| lower in sugar and firmer than dessert bananas. You | | | | the elderly and for infants and ripe plantains can be |
| can get them at African, Hispanic and Caribbean | | | | mashed with salt to feed to weaning infants. This is |
| grocery stores, as well as natural food stores. | | | | believed to be easier to digest than a ripe banana. |
| While plantains are green, they are savory and can be | | | | Recipe for Baked Plantains with Strawberries |
| used in curry recipes or to make chips. They taste like | | | | This tasty Mexican food recipe combines soft baked |
| potatoes when they are unripe and they are used in | | | | plantains with strawberries, cream, vanilla, cinnamon |
| the Caribbean and parts of South America like | | | | and more for a gourmet Mexican dessert. This dish is |
| potatoes are used in other parts of the world. | | | | easy to make and your family will love it. You can use |
| As plantains become ripe, they stay starchy but get | | | | raspberries instead of the strawberries if you prefer. |
| sweeter and you can use them to make authentic | | | | What you will need: |
| Mexican dessert recipes and more. You should use | | | | - 2 ripe plantains |
| them for desserts when the skin is turning brown but | | | | - 3 teaspoons white sugar |
| before it goes black. | | | | - 1/3 cup softened cream cheese |
| Facts About Plantains | | | | - 2 teaspoons water |
| Bananas are usually eaten raw but plantains are | | | | - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract |
| normally cooked or processed. You can boil, bake, | | | | - 1/8 cup brown sugar |
| steam or fry plantains for savory dishes and you can | | | | - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon |
| eat very ripe plantains raw. | | | | - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil |
| Plantains are popular in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, | | | | - 1/2 cup fresh strawberries |
| Guatemala, Belize, Guatemala, Cuba, Honduras, and the | | | | - 1/4 cup heavy cream |
| United States, as well as in Caribbean communities. | | | | - Chocolate ice cream syrup, for garnish How to make |
| They are grown in Hawaii, the Southern United States, | | | | it: |
| Central America, the Canary Islands, the region around | | | | Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Slice the plantains |
| the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean, amongst | | | | lengthwise and put them in a greased glass baking |
| other places. They grow as far north as Northern | | | | dish, flat side up. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, |
| California. | | | | water, and vanilla and drizzle this mixture over the |
| Some cultures use other parts of the plantain plant, as | | | | plantains. Bake them for half an hour or until very soft. |
| well as the fruit itself. In Peru, people use the cut up | | | | Beat the cream, white sugar and cream cheese. |
| plantain leaves for wrapping tamales, instead of using | | | | Spoon this topping over the plantains and finish off with |
| corn stalks. In southern India, the leaves are used as | | | | the strawberries and chocolate ice cream syrup. |
| plates. In some areas of Africa, the young shoots and | | | | |