Plantain is a staple food in several regions of Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Unlike dessert bananas, it is always eaten cooked, never raw, whether fried, boiled or pounded depending on the recipe. NKOSI does not sell fresh plantain, which falls under fresh fruit and vegetables, but offers several dried snacks made directly from it.
What is plantain?
Plantain covers varieties of the genus Musa eaten cooked, which contain more starch and less sugar than the classic dessert banana. The genus Musa originates from South East Asia and Oceania; plantains spread to Africa from the first millennium onward, with archaeological traces identified in Cameroon, then to the Caribbean, Central America and part of South America, where they became a major staple food.
Ripeness determines the culinary use: green, plantain is firm and starchy, reserved for savory dishes; fully ripe, its skin darkens and its sweet flesh lends itself to milder preparations.
Composition of raw and cooked plantain
Per 100 grams of raw plantain, France's Ciqual nutrition table gives 127 kcal, 29.6 grams of carbohydrates, 2.3 grams of fiber, 1.3 grams of protein, 499 milligrams of potassium and 18.4 milligrams of vitamin C. Cooked, it provides 120 kcal, 28.9 grams of carbohydrates including 14 grams of sugars, 2.3 grams of fiber, 0.8 grams of protein, 465 milligrams of potassium and 10.9 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams.
How to use plantain in cooking
In West and Central Africa, plantain is boiled, grilled or fried once ripe: fried, it takes the name alloco in Ivory Coast. Green and pounded after cooking, it becomes foutou, served with a sauce. In the Caribbean and Latin America, it is also prepared as tostones or patacones, flattened and fried twice. It is also turned into flour, purée, chips, or used as a thickener in some sauces.
Plantain recipes on the NKOSI blog
Where to find plantain products
NKOSI does not sell fresh plantain, but offers several plantain chips, cooked and ready to eat:
- NUMBER ONE salted plantain chips, a plain snack made from fried green plantain
- NUMBER ONE ripe plantain chips, made from fully ripe plantain
- NUMBER ONE garlic plantain chips, a variant seasoned with garlic
Find the full range in the Plantain collection, which NKOSI ships from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 59 €.
