First things first: Decide if you need unripe or ripe plantains. If you want them to be sticky and caramelized when cooked—like maduros, which are sweet, ripe plantains fried in oil—you’ll need to buy ...

If your local supermarket is anything like mine, there’s a huge display of bananas. And right next to it, there’s a much smaller shelf devoted to plantains. It’s very easy to be in the fruit mind-set, ...

My 16-month-old daughter has started identifying her favorite fruit, joyfully crying “ba-TA-ta!” as soon as she spies the cheery yellow fruit in our produce basket. She repeats its name in the hopes ...

Even when they are not hungry or starving, many Nigerians say they are. Food prices are up. Kidnapping and banditry bar farmers from the farm. On health grounds, I cut beef from my diet last year. I ...

Fried spicy plantain chips are a delicious and crispy snack with a kick of heat Cut off the ends of the plantains. Make a shallow lengthwise cut through the peel. Use your fingers to peel off the skin ...

Starches — legumes, tubers, grains, to name a few — are a motley bunch. But one thing they share is how they strike a delicate balance between firm and plump, and, well, dried out or mealy when cooked ...

If your local supermarket is anything like mine, there’s a huge display of bananas. And right next to it, there’s a much smaller shelf devoted to plantains. It’s very easy to be in the fruit mind-set, ...