Thursday nights are typically solo nights for me. Hubby is part of a bowling league and Thursday is his bowling night. Usually I pick up take out, order in or cook something I enjoy that hubby doesn't. Today I decided to cook.
One of my childhood favorites is a very simple dish, platanos fritos. My mom would make this on weekends. It's a typical Salvadoran dish. A side of refried beans, queso fresco and crema would complete the meal. I have fond memories of this dish and it always brings back warm thoughts. Anytime I eat this meal I feel like a kid again. It's one of the few dish I can make like mom does.
Platanos fritos are ripe plantain fried in a pan with a bit of oil. You can deep fry them but I prefer to cook them in a pan. Though it's a simple dish its doesn't always come out the way you like. The platano has natural sugars so if you're not careful they will burn. I have had the first few come out beautifully golden brown while the others burnt. Personally, I like them a little burnt because I like it crispy & crunchy. When I would help Mom make this dish I would burn a few on purpose, so I could have them. : ) Shh, that's our little secret.
If you are making this for a family I would use 4-6 platanos, depending on your families' appetite. Since it's just me I'll use 1 platano.
To get started I add 1Tbsp oil to the pan on medium heat so it's waiting for me and not the other way around. I cut the platano in half. Then I cut the ends off. Then I carefully peel the skin off. The skin is thick so I use a paring kinfe to put a slit through the skin then peel. Keep the skin, they will be our "foil" to keep the cooked platanos warm while the rest cook.
The next step is the hard part. You would cut the half into 4 or 5 pieces lengthwise. I take the half in my hand and slice the platanos, with a paring knife, along the lines they naturally have. The slices should be about 1/4 inch or so. Now the platanos are slippery so for beginners I would recommend you use a cutting board and carefully slice lengthwise. Once they are all cut, add them to the oil, careful not to crowd the pan. Check every 2 to 4 minutes to see if ready, what you're looking for is a golden brown. Once the first side is brown flip and wait 2-4 minutes then check for doneness. When ready, transfer to a plate and cover the skins to keep warm. You do this until all the platanos are done. You can serve these platanos with refried beans. My mom would make the beans from scratch. This takes time. It goes from a soup then to refried. Hopefully I'll get a chance to share that dish. When she didn't have fresh we would use store bought. But a specific brand, Ducal Black refried beans. These are the closet to fresh taste that you can get. So delicious. If you have sour cream or crema use as a dip for the platanos. To glide the lily add some queso fresco.
If you want something sweeter you can add sugar to the platanos as they cook. You can even take those "candied" platanos add a little cinnamon and make them an ice cream topping. It's unusual but delicious.
Platanos make me so happy. They fill my belly and my heart. Pure comfort food.
Buen Provecho!
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