First things first: Decide if you need unripe or ripe plantains. If you want them to be sticky and caramelized when cooked—like maduros, which are sweet, ripe plantains fried in oil—you’ll need to buy ...

Google is not your friend when searching for "authentic" plantain recipes and reliable information. But your retired Spanish-teacher mom and Colombian exchange sister definitely rank at the top of the ...

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, ...

For centuries, plantains have been used as a staple food in tropical and subtropical regions from West Africa to Latin America. Their versatility lies in the fact that they can be eaten at any stage ...

Plantain is a magnificent tropical fruit and a staple ingredient in West African cuisine. It’s often associated with the banana, the main difference being it contains more starch and fewer sugars.

I'll be honest: I spend far too much time in the produce section of the grocery store browsing the fruits and vegetables I'm unfamiliar with. It's my version of window shopping. Sometimes I'm bold ...