Savor other Latin flavors in Steven's article on Cuban Food . Share your favorite plantain recipe in FoodFit's Community . Though it's shaped like a banana and has a banana-like aroma, the plantain is never eaten in its raw state. I didn't realize how popular plantains were until I moved to Miami. This jumbo cousin of the banana turns up at our ethnic grocery stores and mainstream supermarkets, at humble sandwich shops, exclusive restaurants and eateries of a dozen nationalities.
Plantains are among the most prolific food crops.
The same acre of land needed to grow 50 pounds of wheat or 100 pounds of potatoes can support a whopping two tons of plantains. You can serve it as an appetizer, entree, vegetable and dessert, use it when it's hard and green, soft and ripe, and at every stage in between. A New Food Vocabulary Fried plantains are popular throughout the Caribbean and Central America, where they often take the place of potato chips. Known as mariquitas in Cuba and tajadas in Nicaragua, plantain chips are made by slicing green plantains lengthwise into paper-thin strips on a mandoline or meat slicer. These strips are deep-fried until crisp and served lightly salted.