Author Notes
My Bengali mother always fed us plantain dishes to help us recover from any and all illnesses, be it the common cold or a broken foot. Her mantra was that full-of-nutrition plantains helped strengthen the body. Usually she served us a mild fish and plantain curry over steamed rice, but sometimes she would make these amazing plantain cakes—soft and spicy inside, crisp and golden outside.
Now that I have my own kitchen, I adapted these childhood favorites to suit my taste and health needs. Instead of deep-frying, I pan-fry. I cut the amount of hot peppers, and increased the herbs for flavor. I recently cooked up a batch for a family gathering and my Mom not only complimented me, but took seconds.
Sometimes I roll them into balls and serve them as vegetarian “meatballs." Other times I flatten them into cakes. Served with Asian sweet chili sauce, tamarind chutney, ketchup or a yogurt sauce, they’re addictive. —Rashda Khan
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
2
medium green plantains
-
1
large red potato
-
1 teaspoon
garam masala
-
3/4 teaspoon
garlic powder, plus more to taste
-
1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin
-
2 teaspoons
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan (or you can use vegetable oil for the cooking)
-
1 teaspoon
salt, plus more to taste
-
1 teaspoon
finely minced ginger
-
1/2 cup
diced red onions
-
1/2 cup
chopped herbs (I like a mix of cilantro, parsley, and mint)
-
1
jalapeño or serrano, thinly sliced (if you’d like to reduce the heat, remove ribs and seeds)
Directions
-
Cut off the ends of the plantains. Halve them through the middle, widthwise, so you have four pieces (each about the size of the potato).
-
Boil the plantain and the potato until soft. Remove from water, let cool and then peel.
-
In a large bowl, mash the plantain and potatoes together. (It’ll be a bit lumpy). Add the spices, oil, and salt. Mix some more to resemble mashed potatoes. Fold in the ginger, onion, herbs, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
-
Roll into balls and press down to form cakes if you like. Arrange all on a plate, ready for frying.
-
Heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the cakes in batches, until golden brown on both sides. When done, place the fried cakes on a paper towel lined plated.
-
Serve with your favorite dipping condiment. Enjoy!
See what other Food52ers are saying.