This spiced plantain chips recipe is an easy recipe for a great snack to have around the house. Lovely sweet taste, balanced by the chili pepper's heat.
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What are plantains?
Plantains are a type of fruit that are closely related to bananas. They are typically larger and have a thicker skin than bananas, and are often used as a starchy vegetable in cooking, rather than as a sweet fruit.
They are often fried, mashed, or used in dishes such as tostones and maduros. They are a staple food in many tropical regions, including Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
If the plantain is green and not ripe, it will need to be cooked before eating. You can fry, boil, or bake the plantain slices until they are soft and tender.
If the plantain is yellow and ripe, it can be eaten raw or cooked. You can fry the slices in butter or oil until they are crispy and golden brown or mash them up to make a dish like tostones or plantain puree.
Enjoy your plantains as a side dish, or use them as a base for a savory or sweet dish. They can be paired with meats, fish, beans or used to make desserts like plantain cake or ice cream.
These spiced plantain chips are a great snack to have around the house. In Latin America, plantain is used more as a potato replacement.
How to make spiced plantain chips
First of all, this snack has a lovely sweet taste, which is balanced by the heat from the chili powder.
The slices of plantain taste better if you cook them right before you serve them. Choose green plantains. The dark ones are not suitable for this recipe.
First, wash the plantains and pat them dry.
Cut off both ends of the plantains and make a shallow cut along the length of the skin. Peel the skin off by gently pulling it away from the fruit.
It will be much harder than a regular banana because, as you see from the picture, my plantains are not ripe yet. They are kind of green.
At this point, the plantain is less sweet, but it is starchy, like a potato.
Slice the fruit into rounds, cutting slightly diagonally to give larger, flatter slices.
In a frying pan, pour oil and heat it until it is very hot. Test the oil by submerging the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil.
If the oil bubbles around the spoon, it is hot enough. (Grandma's piece of advice)
Place the slices of plantain in the pan and fry them in small batches.
Remove them from the pan when they become golden brown and place them on paper towels to drain.
Finally, mix the chili powder with the cinnamon and a little bit of salt and sprinkle the chips with the mixture. You need to serve them immediately while they are still hot.
To summarize, clean the plantains, peel and slice them, fry them in hot oil, and sprinkle your favorite spices over them.
They are delicious and so easy to make!
Expert Tips
- Do not season plantain slices before you fry them. This will ensure that the slices stay crispy. Season them with spices after you remove them from the pan, while still hot.
- Fry them in a single layer, and don't crowd the pan. They need space to fry. Too many slices in the pan, and they will just steam together, losing their crispiness.
- Cool the plantain chips before you serve them.
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📖 Recipe
Spiced Plantain Chips Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large plantains
- oil for shallow frying
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut off and throw away the ends of the plantains.
- Peel off the skin.
- Slice each plantain into rounds, cutting slightly on the diagonal to give larger, flatter slices.
- Pour the oil for frying into a small pan to a depth of about ½ inch(1 cm).
- Heat the oil until it is very hot, and watch it closely.
- Test by carefully adding a slice of plantain- it should float and the oil should immediately bubble up around it.
- Fry the plantain slices in small batches, so the oil temperature does not drop.
- When golden brown, remove the slices from the oil and drain them on paper towels.
- Mix the chili powder, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle over the plantains.
- Serve immediately while still warm.
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