Plantain

Trim off both ends, then score the skin lengthways in two or three places without cutting deeply into the flesh. Lift the strips with your thumb or the tip of a knife; green plantains are especially firm, so a few minutes in warm water can make the skin easier to loosen.

Cut a green plantain into chunks about 2 cm thick and fry at 160°C for 3–4 minutes, until softened but not browned. Flatten each chunk, then fry again at 180°C for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp; drain and salt.

Yes. Peel a ripe plantain, slice it lengthways or into thick rounds, brush lightly with oil and roast at 220°C for about 20–25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender. Riper plantains caramelise more readily, so keep an eye on them near the end.

Keep green plantains at room temperature until the skin turns yellow and then develops dark patches. Once ripe, you can refrigerate them; the peel may darken, but the flesh will stay usable for several days.

Green plantains are often fried as tostones or patacones, or boiled and mashed. Ripe plantains are commonly fried as maduros, baked, or added to stews; their sweetness works well alongside savoury beans, rice and meat.

A fully ripe plantain can be eaten raw, but it is usually cooked: even ripe flesh is firmer and starchier than a dessert banana. Green plantain is hard and starchy, so boiling, frying or roasting gives it a much better texture.

Plantain is generally larger and starchier, and is usually cooked while green or ripe; dessert bananas are softer and commonly eaten raw. Plantain has 34 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, compared with 20 g in banana.