Plantains are among the most widely grown and important crops in the world. Starchier and more robust than their cousin, the banana, you’ll find them everywhere from India to the west coast of Africa, Latin and South America, the Caribbean, and up to Louisiana and Florida, often as a cash crop and a staple starch. Hardy and plentiful, the plantain is a versatile ingredient not unlike a potato or cassava. Depending on their level of ripeness, plantains can be savory or sweet. They can be ground into flour; they can be mashed (and sometimes shaped into fritters and fried); they can be baked; they can be roasted. Growing up in the Bronx, I was exposed mostly to plantains at Dominican or Puerto Rican restaurants, where they generally came either as tostones, twice-fried and savory, or after the meal, as these maduros, softer, sweeter, and made from riper fruit. The avocado crema, my own addition, adds a touch of acidity that complements the sweetness of the plantain.

　　This recipe was excerpted from ‘My America’ by Kwame Onwuachi. Buy the full book on Amazon. This book was selected as one of the best cookbooks of 2022.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　

For the avocado crema

1 ripe avocado

　　1 clove garlic

　　¾ cup sour cream

　　3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

　　Juice of 1 lime

　　Kosher salt, to taste

　　

For the plantains

Vegetable oil, such as canola, for frying

　　2 very ripe (mostly black) plantains, sliced ¾ inch think on the bias

　　Kosher salt, to taste

　　

For the avocado crema

Step 1

Peel and pit the avocado and scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt, and purée until smooth. Set aside while you fry the plantains.

　　

For the plantains

Step 2

In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat ⅛ inch oil to 350°F. Add the plantains and cook, flipping every 3 minutes or so, until deeply golden brown, soft, and juicy, about 12 minutes total. Remove the fried plantains to a plate lined with paper towel, and sprinkle with salt.

　　From My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein. Copyright © 2022 by Kwame Onwuachi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House or Amazon.