US: Plantains are fruit you treat like a vegetable

It may resemble a banana, but you're probably not going to want to gnaw on one raw.

Though closely related to bananas, plantains (often called cooking bananas) more often are treated like a vegetable, in part because they are too starchy to be eaten raw.

Common in tropical cuisines, plantains are high in potassium (higher, in fact, than bananas). They are used at all stages of ripeness, but it's best to purchase them green and let them ripen as desired at home at room temperature.

Green plantains are hard and the flesh is starchy, which means they can be cooked and enjoyed much the way you would a potato -- boiled, baked, roasted or fried.

When plantains become softer and start to yellow, the flesh begins to turn orange, but keeps its starchy flavor and texture. At this stage, it is best used it in soups and stews.

Once the skin has turned completely black, the flesh becomes sweet. The completely ripened fruit can be baked as a dessert or broiled, sauteed or fried as a sweet side.

Source: courier-journal.com

Publication date: 2/2/2009