Cuba isn’t only best known for its beaches, cigars, and classic American cars. The country also prides itself on its cuisine, which may just be the best around the region. One staple in almost all Cuban restaurants and vendors is Platanos Maduros.
The popular Cuban side dish isn’t only famous in Cuba, but it’s also widely known in India, West Africa, and all of the Caribbean countries. Hop on to read about its exciting history and learn how to make it!
What Is Platanos Maduros?
Platanos Maduros is a pretty simple dish that only consists of sweet plantains. Although it’s best known now for being Cuban, the dish originally came from India.
It only reached Cuba when the Spanish colonists arrived at the shores of the Caribbean.
Plantain is a fruit that’s strikingly similar to bananas, up to the point that most countries mix them up.
They’re also closely related botanically, nearly having the same nutritional value and the same benefits. Plantains, too, are high in potassium, vitamin C, and fibers.
The best part about this Platanos Maduros is that it’s pretty economical. You only need some ripe plantains, oil, and salt.
Plus, the dish goes with plenty of other meals, such as rice, black bean soup, and roast chicken. You can also eat them on their own if you prefer.
How Is Platanos Maduros Cooked in Different Countries?
Not all countries cook Platanos Maduros like the Cubans do it. For example, in Venezuela, they cook it with cinnamon to add a touch of spice.
Meanwhile, in Honduras, Platanos Maduros is served with sour cream, which is a brilliant pair if you think of it. In both of these countries, the dish is called ‘tajadas.’
In Indonesia, they cook it in the same way as Cuba, but they call it ‘gorengan.’ It’s also cooked the same way in Cote d’Ivoire, but they call it ‘alloco.’
The funniest name yet goes to Western Nigeria; they call it ‘dodo!’
Most of the Caribbean countries cut the plantains in slices before frying, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. They do the same in Haiti, and they call it ‘bannann peze.’
So, needless to say, the dish is pretty famous throughout the world, and in different names too!
The Brief History of Platanos Maduros
Plantains have been on earth for quite some time now—long before we came! It’s said that Alexander the Great is the one who introduced the exotic fruit to Europe during his conquest of the world in 327 B.C.
The fruit took a long route then to spread throughout the world. It shipped from Malaysia and India to Madagascar when the Arabs and the Asian merchants started trading together.
From 5,000 and 8,000 B.C., plantains reached nearly all of Asia.
Ages after that, in 1500 AD, the Bantu kingdom started trading in bananas and plantains.
And they still currently do; Uganda is one of the leading countries now in trading in plantains.
In the 15th century, some Portuguese explorers found plantains in Western Africa, and they decided to take them back home to plant them.
The fruit then traveled through the canary islands, passing by Santa Domingo and ending up in the Caribbean.
The history of the plate, Plátanos Maduros, itself, isn’t very clear. However, it’s sure that it didn’t originate in Cuba.
Some historians believe that friend plantains were already popular among African slaves. They reached the Caribbean onboard the European slave ships, and they were able to cook the dish in Cuba because of the abundance of plantains there.
The plate’s history is a bit controversial, and it’s not very clear, but it’s pretty interesting nevertheless.
What’s the Difference Between Plantains and Bananas?
Plantains can be easily mistaken for bananas. If not for their slightly different taste, they could pass as bananas in any meal.
Plantains have less content of sugar than bananas, accounting for the subtle difference in taste.
Like bananas, they’re picked when they’re still green. Then, as they ship, their color turns to yellow and then to a dark black when they’re completely ripe.
However, at the yellow phase, these fruits are a lot firmer than bananas, and they’re high in starch; that’s why they should be cooked when they’re black.
The size is also among the obvious differences between plantains and bananas.
While the bananas are a bit slim with subtle seams, plantains are thicker, and their seams have a darker color, making them more pronounced.
Lastly, while you usually eat bananas while they’re raw, it’s hard to eat plantains that way. They’re closer to potatoes in texture and taste when they’re raw.
So, they’re starchy and hard to bite into. They must be cooked in order to be eaten.
Frying isn’t the only way to cook plantains. Some countries steam them or boil them. Either way, they’re still delicious and sugary!
Read: 7 Qualities To Look For In Choosing The Perfect Plantains
How to Make Platanos Maduros
Platanos Maduros are pretty easy to make, and they only take a few minutes to cook.
You don’t have to go all the way to West Africa or Cuba to eat a delicious snack.
Here are detailed steps for preparing the fruity dish.
List of Ingredients
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- Half a stick of unsalted butter
- Some salt
- Six ripe plantains
- One sliced avocado
- Some fresh lime juice
Directions
- Grab a plate and line it with 3–4 paper towel layers.
- Cut the six ripe plantains crosswise into three slices in equal sizes.
- Grab a cast-iron skillet and drop the butter into it. Then, adjust the heat to medium and leave it to melt.
- Add the sliced plantains to the butter and cook each one for four minutes per side.
- When the plantains are slightly caramelized and brown, take them out and drop them on the paper towels you prepared earlier to drain.
- Season the plantains with salt while they’re still hot. Taste to see if they need more and add if they do.
- Divide the plantains into plates and serve with avocado slices on the side. Then, drizzle the fresh lime juice on the avocado and enjoy!
Final Platanos Maduros Thoughts
Who would’ve thought a fruit that looks strikingly similar to a banana could taste that good? Well, apparently, the West Africans and the Cubans did, and they cooked it in a heavenly way.
Platanos Maduros is a pretty delicious Cuban dish.
It balances the sugary and salty tastes perfectly, and the fried fruits delve smoothly into your mouth, leaving a subtle sweet aftertaste.
Cooking plantains only takes a few minutes, and your family will enjoy it.
It’s an ideal dish to make when you’re in a hurry!
If you like plantain dishes, check out Would You Like Plantains With That? Everything You Need To Know About Tostones.
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.