Try this Platanos Maduros Recipe – Fried Plantains of Panama

Being part of a bi-cultural family has brought me many interesting experiences. And the twice weekly eatings of these delicious Panamanian fried plantains – platanos maduros – are no exception! 

On the one hand, there is the Latin flair gleaned from my mom’s upbringing in her native Panama. But, most people who visit my parents’ home likely note, upon first impression, a stronger southern influence, given the way my dad proudly labels himself a “redneck hippy.” (Insert multiple question marks here.) However, there are some glaring Panamanian pops that dominate the household. Plantain bananas are one of them. Mom does well with balancing her Panamanian specialties with Dad’s southern favorites, like fried chicken and hot-water cornbread.

Mom serves these delicious platanos maduros at least once a week. I recall getting tired of eating them on the regular as a kid. But now, in grown up life, my heart jumps a bit when Mom says she is making maduros. Now, I even whip them up myself.

What is the Difference Between Platanos Maduros (Yellow/Mature Plantains) and Tostones (Green Plantains)? – Platanos Maduros Vs. Platanos Verdes

Well, I kind of just told you the answer in my heading, right? The word “maduros” means ripe or mature. The yellow, ripe platanos maduros must be cooked a different way that the platanos verdes – which are unripened (green) plantains. 

Seriously, there are no frills or fanciness to our Panamanian platanos maduros. They are simply ripened plantains, sliced and fried in oil. We don’t get the green unripened ones for this particular cooking style of plantains. You can see how to cook green plantain bananas in my patacones – fried plantains post. In many Latin American countries, prepared green plantains are referred to as tostones. However, in Panama they are called patacones. 

While you are on a platanos kick, you might want to checkout my platanos en tentacion. This recipe makes for a perfect plantain dessert! 

Learn more about the nutritional information of plantains here. 

The Secret to Caramelized Platanos (Platanos Caramelizados) 

For the longest time, I could not get my platanos maduros to come out as caramelized platanos. Rather, they had a chewy and somewhat tough texture.  And the look of them was more dry than caramelized. Granted, they were still delicious. But something wasn’t quite right. They were not like my mom’s fried plantains!

Finally, I figured it out. If you are not working with actual black plantains, your platanos maduros will not be caramelized. They will still be tasty, but they will lack the caramelized texture/flavor. Sometimes, I try to rush my plantains. Rather than waiting for them to turn black, I used to go ahead and fry them when they turned a dark yellow.  Wait, folks. Just wait. 

For my pictures in this post, I used these platanos. They were blackening but were not totally black yet. Even more black would have been best!

How to Cook Ripe Plantains – Fried Plantains 

First, I heat a skillet of oil over medium-high heat. My mom prefers to use her cast iron. Since I have a glass top stove at my house, I don’t cook on the stove top with cast iron. I use my favorite enamel skillet instead. I took these pictures at the spur of the moment my parents’ house while Mom and I were cooking so you will see a cast iron.

Next, I slice the banana into 1/2 to 1 inch slices at a diagonal. Perfecting slices doesn’t suit me. Isn’t irregularity so much more interesting?

Into the hot oil, the slices go, slowly and carefully. At this time, I fry them about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are a nice golden brown with a slight blackness to the edges.

Then, I carefully remove them with a slotted spoon or spatula.

Next, I place them on a plate covered with paper towels to help absorb the oil. At this point, I add a little sea salt or table salt while they are still hot. 

Ay…que rico! A perfect and simple side item with no frills. Often, these fried plantains are served with fancy bells and whistles at gourmet Caribbean or Latin restaurants. And while I’ve never met a maduro I didn’t like, I still prefer them plain and simple – kind of like a good ole’ standard French fry. When prepared this way, they should have a slightly crunchy outside with a chewy inside. Some people in Panama eat platanos maduros – but especially patacones – with ketchup or with a ketchup-mayo blend (half of each, combined).

Well, what are some multicultural foods eaten in your home?