Fried plantains (banan peze) is a common Haitian food you can find being sold on the streets or being cooked in their individual homes. It can be served as a side dish, appetizer or as an afternoon snack. Most often, fried plantains are served with pikliz (a spicy type of coleslaw) to spoon on top of each bite of your plantain. The pikliz adds a fresh bite to your fried plantain! Here is the recipe for fried plantains in the eyes of our wonderful cook, Orilia.

In a large frying pan, heat about 1-2″ of oil. While you are waiting for the oil to heat up, peel the plantains and cut them into pieces on a diagonal. When the oil is ready, fry your plantains for about 3-5 minutes or until the outside is slightly golden brown.

Remove the plantains from the oil. Using a press or a cutting board and small plate, squish down and flatten the plantain to about 1/4″.

Continue flattening the plantains until they are all squished. Tip: It’s important to have a bit of oil still on the plantains for easier flattening.

Make a salt water mixture and dip each plantain into this mixture before returning the flattened plains to the frying pan.

Fry the plantains again until all sides are golden brown, or about 3-5 minutes.

When golden brown, remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to soak up the extra oil. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.