How do Africans eat plantains?

How do Africans eat plantains?

They can be eaten ripe or unripe and are generally quite starchy. In West Africa and other parts of Africa, plantains are often cooked as part of the main course or as a side dish. However, ripe plantains can also be eaten raw since their starches have been converted to sugars.

What are plantains called in Africa?

It is called alloco in Côte d’Ivoire and dodo in Western Nigeria, otherwise known as simply fried plantain in other parts of Nigeria.

What does plantain go well with?

What to Serve with Fried Plantains

• Pork: Pork and plantains go insanely well together.
• Rice: Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice, or arroz con pollo, is a classic dish to serve with fried plantains.
• Beans: Serve your Tostones with black beans for a delicious sweet and savory combo.

Is plantains a African food?

Plantain is a major food staple in Africa, and West Africa is one of the major plantain-producing regions of the world, accounting for approximately 32% of worldwide production. They are used as a vegetable in most recipes in Africa, and not eaten as a fruit, although technically, they are a fruit.

What country eats the most plantains?

The countries with the highest volumes of plantain consumption in 2018 were Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.5M tonnes), Cameroon (4.8M tonnes) and Ghana (4.1M tonnes), together comprising 59% of total consumption.

Can you eat plantain raw?

Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.

What is plantain herb good for?

Plantain has long been considered by herbalists to be a useful remedy for cough , wounds , inflamed skin or dermatitis, and insect bites. Bruised or crushed leaves have been applied topically to treat insect bites and stings, eczema , and small wounds or cuts.

What meat goes good with plantains?

Green plantains pair well with assertive flavors like chile, onion, and curry, as well as with fatty meats like pork.

What is the best way to eat a plantain?

Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter. Those edges are my favorite!

Where is plantain originally from?

Southeast Asia
Plantains are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Two groups of plantains are thought to have a common origin: the horn plantain and the French plantain. Both types grow in India, Africa, Egypt, and tropical America. The French plantains also occur in Indonesia and the islands of the Pacific.

Why are plantains so cheap?

Exposed to agro-chemicals and intense heat, plantation workers are usually in the field ten to 12 hours a day, six days a week, and still aren’t paid a living wage—to do so would increase the price of fruit that, despite traveling thousands of miles to the US, continues to be sold more cheaply than locally grown apples …

Is plantain good for weight loss?

Weight control: Plantains are rich in a type of fiber that helps you feel fuller longer. This may help you control your weight if you’re overweight or obese. Constipation: Fiber-rich plantains may also help you stay regular if you get blocked up from time to time.

What can you make with plantains?

Plantains are extremely versatile and can be cooked in so many different ways: you can fry them, boil them, bake them, mash them, steam them, and grill them. They can be used to make empanada dough, dumplings, patties, soups, desserts, and more.

What to cook with plantains?

Cooked plantains can be eaten as a snack (plain, dipped in butter or salted palm oil, or topped with roasted Spanish peanuts), or they can be incorporated into a meal (in a soup or stew, as a side dish, or with scrambled eggs).

What to do with plantain?

Plantain infused oil is a handy staple to keep around for making skin soothing salves, lotions, creams, soaps and such. It’s also excellent for using on dogs, cats and other such critters to treat hot spots, flea bites, scrapes and minor skin irritations.

What to eat plantains with?

Ways to Eat Plantains. Replace potatoes with plantains in your favorite vegetable soup and stew recipes. Saute plantain slices as a healthy side dish that pairs well with barbecued meat or spicy tamales . Add cooked plantain slices to bean salads as another way to incorporate them into your diet.