What is the secret to Fried Plantains?

[YankeyMCC]

It seems like it is random, hit or miss, when I order them at restaurants. When they are good they are very good but when they are bad they are very bad.

Yesterday I had some that were very good. One thing I think is common with the good ones is that they are not mashed. The ones last night were not mashed just sliced at an angle about 1/4 inch thick.

The one time I tried making them myself the recipe said to mash them, by mashed I don't mean like mashed potatoes just crushed maybe is the way to say it. But while it seems to me the smashed versions are usually bad non-smashing is not always an assurance of a good version.

By bad I mean, either they are to bitter or they have an overbearing sharp sweetness. Perhaps it is more about the frying technique, that seems likely but I'm curious to hear from anyone here that makes them what they thought.

[Warpy]

1. I'd say adequate ripeness and cooking. I prefer the mashed ones

because when they're done properly, they're like fritters--light and crisp on the outside, almost like they've been breaded.

They have to be very ripe to start with, the skin nearly all black. The first cooking should be in oil at a moderate temperature, to make sure the plaintain is cooked through. The second cooking is at a higher temperature, the cooked plantain re introduced to the pan and squashed down to a small patty.

My guess is that the places that do them badly have missed either the ripeness or the thorough precooking or both.

The other way to do them is to slice them lengthwise on a mandoline and immerse them in deep fat. I'm not nuts about this method, personally, but you do find them used as a garnish this way and they are edible. Just don't use them to scoop anything up or you'll wear it.