What is your favourite haitian food specialty? Mine is FRIED PLANTAINS!

Let me get my cooking pan out! I'll post pictures soon!

You really sent me out on a project here!  One of my favorite foods from Haiti is fried plantains and fish.  I thought about posting the recipe, but then I thought that a picture was worth a thousand words.  All of a sudden I knew what I would have for dinner today!  I do not do fried foods, but once in a while I bend the rules for fried plantains and fish.  The ingredients you will need are:

For the plantains:

1-2 plantains

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of water

1/4 cup of vinegar
Frying oil

For the fish:

-Your favorite fish (frozen or fresh), cleaned, seasoned and breaded.

-Seasoning (garlic, parsley, green onions, salt, a tsp oil, half a tsp of lime juice, and hot pepper if you can tolerate it)

In Haiti, this recipe is called:

             

                              Banann fri avèk pwason

1. This is a green plantain.  You'll find it in the produce section
of your local supermarket.  I usually boil it like a potato and
have it with salads and meat.  Today I'll fry it.

2. Cut off each end of the plantain as shown. 

3. To peel it, make two or three vertical slits
along the plantain as shown.

4. With your fingernails, try to lift off the peel along the slits.

5. The plantain will look as above once it's completely peeled off.

6. You may cut the plantain two different ways. 
(a).  Cut it in little round sections

7. (b). Cut it in little oval sections.
The smaller the pieces, the crispier the plantain will get
after you flatten it.

Heat up your oil.  Once your oil is very hot, drop the pieces
of plantain in it.

8. Your plantains are ready when they're golden and light.
Sometimes, they would rise to the surface of the frying oil.

9. This is called a 'pèz banann'.  I bought it from a local Hispanic
grocery store in Miami, Fl.
Once you take your plantain out of the frying oil, you'll set it in
bowl or plate.  You will then use the 'pèz banann' to flatten your fried plantains.
If you do not have a 'pèz banann', use two flat dishes (any flat plate will do.)  Make sure you wet
the surface of the plate so that when you flatten the fried plantains they
would not get stuck to the plate.

10. Your fried plantains will look as shown after you flatten them with your
flat 'plates'.
Keep your frying oil hot as you are getting ready to fry your plantains again.

11. Dip your now flat plantains into a mixture of water, salt, and vinegar
just before you fry them.
Do this one by one.  Each "flat" plantain that is dipped in the water-salt-vinegar
solution is immediately dropped into the hot frying oil.
Be careful as the oil will sizzle.  Stand a good distance away
from the flying dropplets of oil.

12. Your fried plantain is ready when it is crispy.

 I like fresh fish.  Haitians season all their meat (fish, poultry, red meat) with a

mixture of parsley, garlic, green onions, salt, a little oil,a few drops of lime juice,

and a piece of fresh red hot pepper (if you can tolerate it).  Most Haitians will blend a large quantity of

these spices and keep it in their fridge for use over time.  That's what I do.

I marinate my meat before I put them in the freezer. 

In this picture is one of the tilapias that my husband caught in Clewiston, Fl.

It's been in my freezer for about a week all marinated.

13. You will take the breaded fish and drop it into the frying oil (along with

the plantains if you wish).

14. Add your favorite sauce over your fried fish and plantains
and,

15. Enjoy!

Ask me anything