Caramelized Plantains or Bananas | Best Plantain Recipe - Cook with Kushi (2024)

Caramelized Plantains are easy to make with caramelized, crispy, and sweet texture on the outside and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth inside. You need only five ingredients and less than 15 minutes to make them.

Recipe card

Caramelized bananas

Caramelized bananas are pan-fried with sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Serve this as it is or as an after-meal dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This is the most loved recipe, which needs minimal preparation and basic ingredients.

I have used plantains or bananas in the title as they work with both. For best results, make sure the plantains are ripe (brown spots), as they will be sweetest at this point.

This unique, sweet, warm, and satisfying dessert is perfect for any special occasion, such as Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, or even Super Bowl game night.

Try our popular and reader's favorite pan-fried plantains and no-cook banana pudding.

Ingredients

Plantains: If using plantains, make sure they are ripe and blackened with some yellow spots for best results,as they will be sweetest at this point.Fully blackened plantains will also work.

If you use bananas, make sure they are yellow and have no brown spots.Bananas with brown spots will become mushy.

Never store plantains or bananas in the fridge. The fruit will not ripen. Keep them in a warm spot in your kitchen. Yellow plantains with black spots are best for pan-frying or making desserts. In India, these are called Kerala bananas or Nendran bananas.

Butter:Adds rich flavor. For the vegan version, use coconut oil.

Sugar:Brown or regular granulated sugar to sweeten the banana and add caramel flavor.

Cinnamon and cardamom:Use one or both spices for a warm flavor.

Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

Step-by-step instructions

How to slice plantains?

• Trim off the ends. With your hands, remove the peel.
• Cut them into ¼ or ½-inch thick slices.

How to caramelize plantains?

Step 1: Heat a pan or skillet on medium flame. Add butter. Once the butter melts, sprinkle with tablespoon of sugar, cardamom skin, and cinnamon stick for flavor, and arrange the plantain slices on a single layer. Sprinkle some more sugar and cardamom powder on top of banana slices.

Step 2: Pan-fry: Cook the plantains for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they become golden brown and caramelized. Donot be in a rush. For the best flavor, pan-fry on a medium flame.

Remove from the heat. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream or as it is.

Tips

• Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. You can reheat them in a pan (skillet) or eat them directly from the fridge. They taste great both ways.
• Reduce the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of the plantains or bananas.
• Substitute Whole Cinnamon or cardamom skin with a sprinkle of powders.
• The plantains or the bananas will burn quickly if the pan is too hot, so I highly recommend pan frying on amedium to low flame.

Serving suggestions

• Caramelized plantains or bananas taste delicious on their own.
• For a delicious dessert, Serve them with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
• Add it as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or even French toast.
• Like banana foster, serve it with ice cream and top it with some walnuts or pecans.
• You can also enjoy them as a side with any meal, add to your rice or burrito bowl, or for an evening snack.

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