Plantain

Trim both ends, score the skin lengthways in a few places, then ease it off with your fingers or the tip of a knife. Green plantain skin is much tougher than banana peel; soaking the fruit in warm water for a few minutes can make it easier to remove.

Use a ripe plantain with mostly black or deep-yellow skin, cut it into diagonal slices and fry in a shallow layer of medium-hot oil for about 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on kitchen paper; overcrowding the pan cools the oil and makes the slices greasy.

Yes. Cut peeled ripe plantain lengthways or into thick slices, brush lightly with oil and bake at 200 °C for about 20–25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender.

Keep green plantain at room temperature until the skin darkens and the flesh softens. Once ripe, refrigerate it if you need to slow further ripening; the peel may turn black, but the flesh is usually still usable.

Tostones are twice-fried green plantain rounds, while mofongo is mashed fried plantain with garlic and seasonings. Ripe plantain is often fried as a sweet side, and plantain can also be boiled and mashed.

A fully ripe plantain can be eaten raw, but it is usually cooked because even ripe flesh is firmer and starchier than a dessert banana. Green plantain is particularly starchy and is normally boiled, baked or fried.

No: plantain is generally larger, firmer and starchier, and is most often cooked; dessert bananas are usually eaten fresh. Per 100 g, plantain has 25 g of carbohydrate, compared with 21 g in banana.