The Gloriously Versatile Plantain

Every starch has its secrets. Here’s what makes plantains so exceptional.

Starches — legumes, tubers, grains, to name a few — are a motley bunch. But one thing they share is how they strike a delicate balance between firm and plump, and, well, dried out or mealy when cooked. One starch, though, is sturdy enough to withstand a little overcooking and can be prepared at any stage of ripeness: the gloriously versatile plantain. Maximizing plantains’ qualities requires treating them slightly differently when they’re green and firm, and when they’re spotted yellow and black. In each form, they’re easy to work with and hard to ruin. Plantain-loving cooks among us know that you can use them in all manner of ways: in savory soups and stews, as a side dish to proteins, and as vessels for dips and sauces. Plantains and bananas have similar appearances, and their names are sometimes used interchangeably. In fact, plantains are occasionally referred to as “cooking bananas.” But to call a plantain a banana is a bit of an oversimplification.