Why It's Best To Salt Plantains Before They Hit The Frying Oil

Fried plantains are not only delicious but also extremely easy to make. In fact, if you follow Tasting Table's easy fried plantains recipe, developed by Susan Olayinka, you can whip up a batch in under 20 minutes. The work is hard to mess up — after slicing them, all that it entails is watching them on the stove while they fry. However, there is one key step that you don't want to get wrong: Salting the plantains before putting them in the awaiting oil in the frying pan.

Olayinka explained that while you could salt them after they cook, she prefers to salt them beforehand because the plantains are stickier when they're raw. Thus, the flavor of the salt is much more likely to be infused into the plantains — allowing them to be as tasty as possible. Because the recipe doesn't call for any other seasoning besides a quarter teaspoon of salt, it's important to get this part right. After frying, Olayinka notes that you can sprinkle some additional salt to taste if desired.

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How To Serve The Salted And Fried Plantains

Fried plantains work well as a side dish — Olayinka suggests pairing them with jollof rice and chicken. You could also serve them alongside rice and beans for a simple yet delicious meal. Plantains are even great to have just as a snack — and because they are simply seasoned with only salt, they go with just about any sauce for dipping.

You could opt for your favorite salsa to pair the plantains with — such as a salsa verde or a fire-roasted salsa. Similarly, Olayinka suggests dipping the plantains into guacamole. If you're looking for something spicy that isn't salsa, you could reach for a bottle of sriracha (or, if you prepare it in advance, you could make homemade sriracha for the occasion). There are also aiolis to consider — the fried plantains would taste nicely with a chipotle aioli, for one more spicy option, or something milder such as a garlic aioli. But, if all else fails, the fried plantains are also delicious all on their own.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.