#173: Cuba's Platanos Maduros: Fried Sweet Plantains

Plantains! Oh wow, I have never tried frying them until this time. So good, so sweet and so filling! In the Philippines, we have a wide variety of bananas and we really did not eat the one we export--cavendish, which is one widely available here..we ate the much sweeter binangay, and we also fry sweet saba bananas..we call it Maruya. Plantains are cooking bananas, they are huge! It has a tougher skin and when super ripe, tastes like our sweet bananas back home too. One great thing I learned, although it is sweet, it has less sugar than any other bananas. 

I also learned that the secret to a sweet and soft fried plantain, is making sure to use the most ripe, with lots of blacks on the skin. I tried frying the slightly unripe, and it had a different flavor and texture. This Cuban version of fried plantain, is great when eaten as is, its super sweet and does not need anything else to enjoy it. It's delicious!

PLATANOS MADUROS 

Ingredients: 

• 2-3 very ripe Plantains
• 2 tablespoons organic coconut oil 

Directions:

1. In a pan, over low heat, add coconut oil.
2. Fry the plantains over low heat until golden and soft. Turn over to cook the other side.
3. Remove cooked plantains from oil and transfer to plate lined with paper towels to drain oil.
4. Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, follow this blog as we will be posting 192 more recipes! 192 recipes to discover, learn to cook, take pictures and post here to complete the goal of 365!  

Will I finish this big task? Check back often to see my progress! xo Van 

#156 Cuba's Ropa Vieja

I learned today that Cuban Cuisine is a mix of Native America Taino food, Spanish, African and Caribbean Cuisine. Rice, Beans and Meat are omnipresent, soups and stews are commonly prepared. For flavor, they use a lot of citrus fruits, tomato, vinegar, garlic, onions, peppers, capers, olives, white wine or beer.
This dish was delicious. Ropa Vieja means old clothes in Spanish. It is a shredded beef dish simmered in tomato sauce. I made it in the slow cooker and cooked it for more than 4 hours. The result? The meat was falling apart and bursting with flavors! I didn't eat it with yellow rice and fried plantain bananas and beans.. I will make sure to include those items the next time I make it for a more authentic experience.

ROPA VIEJA

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons organic coconut oil

• 2 pounds grass-fed flank steak

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 large onion 

• sliced red bell pepper

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon organic olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

• chopped cilantro and sour cream for garnishing (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown beef in heated organic coconut oil. 
2. Transfer beef in a slow cooker and then add the next 10 ingredients. Cook in high for 4 hours.
3.  Serve with rice, friend plaintain bananas, and if you like, sour cream and freshly chopped cilantro.

I love it! Can't wait to make it again!

Below are ingredients I pre-shopped for you, click on each item and it will take you to Amazon.com: