5th June is World Plantain Day – the perfect excuse to celebrate this incredible ingredient 😉
If you’re a long-time fan of Turtle Bay, you’ll know that we’re constantly evolving and improving our menu. But some things never change – and they shouldn’t!
Plantain is one of those things. An iconic Caribbean ingredient, this sweet, juicy side has been on our menu since day 1.
What actually is Plantain!?
If you’ve not tried it yet, you may be wondering – what actually is plantain? It looks like a banana, right? But there we are mopping up the final morsels of a Curry Goat with it… which isn't the first thing you'd expect to be doing with a sweet, tropical fruit!
Plantain is one of those veg that is really a fruit, but is normally eaten fried or grilled next to a savoury main course!
How is Plantain cooked?
In Caribbean cooking, Plantain is usually eaten really ripe (where you'll find the skins deep yellow and black) and cooked. We simply fry ours for a few minutes so it's hot and juicy, but you might find it grilled on a bbq too.
Despite it's banana-like features, even the riper ones are a bit floury raw - we'd definitely recommend cooking them!
You'll also find plantain in African and some Latin American cuisines too - and in these styles you might also find it cooked "green", where the unripe plantain is often flattened and fried. It's got a much more starchy, potato-like consistency before it ripens.
What does it taste like?
Ripe plantain like we serve at Turtle Bay does definitely have a bit of banana about it. It's definitely sweet - meaning it pairs so, so well with a rich and savoury curry or the warmth of jerk chicken.
But it does also make for a delicious dessert when soaked in Chef Collin's Caramel Rum Sauce and drizzled in rum cream 😉 It's so good, it even made a feature on Sunday Brunch!
Plantain the superfood
Not only is a side of plantain one of your 5 a day, it's packed with loads of vitamins and minerals that make it an unknown superfood! They’re packed with fibre, plus vitamins A, C, and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium. Vitamin C acts like an antioxidant and boosts your immune system!
