Peel the plantains. The peel is harder to remove than regular bananas; it is best to cut it lengthwise with a knife and then pull it off.
Slice them into pieces about 1 cm thick, ideally at a slight angle for a larger surface area.
Akondro Endasina (Malagasy Fried Plantains)
- Total time - 15 minutes
- Preparation - 5 minutes
- Frying - 10 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Country: Madagascar
For this recipe, it's ideal to use ripe plantains (those with a dark, almost black peel) because they are sweeter. If you use yellow plantains, they will be less sweet and can also be served with savoury dishes (e.g., with rice and meat).
Plantains are denser and starchier than regular bananas, so they don't fall apart when frying. In Madagascar, they are often used as a 'bread' substitute for main meals.
Ingredients
For Akondro Endasina
- 4 pieces ripe plantains (cooking bananas)
- for frying (sufficient quantity) vegetable oil (e.g., canola, sunflower)
- for dusting (optional) powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing the Plantains
Step 2: Frying
In a large pan or pot, heat the oil to medium-high temperature (175 °C (347 °F)). There should be enough oil to submerge the slices halfway or completely.
Fry the plantains in small batches (to avoid cooling the oil). Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until they are deep golden brown and slightly caramelized.
Step 3: Draining and Serving
Remove the fried plantains with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Serve warm. They are traditionally served without toppings, but for a dessert version, you can dust them with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. They are also excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.