Plantain: what it is, how to cook it and its uses

What is it?

The plantain (Musa paradisiaca) is a large, elongated, starchy variety of the genus Musa, eaten cooked or fried rather than raw. It has a thick green skin that turns yellow and then black as it ripens, with firm starchy flesh of neutral flavour when green and sweeter when ripe. It is grown in Mexico's tropical regions, mainly in Tabasco, Veracruz, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Colima and Guerrero. It is a versatile ingredient of the cuisine of south-east Mexico and the Gulf coast, where it appears in iconic dishes such as fried plantain with cream, plantain and bean empanadas, black beans with plantain, fritters and traditional sweets. It forms part of the Afro-mestizo cookery of Veracruz and of Tabasco cuisine.

Origin and history

The plantain is not native to Mexico but to south-east Asia, where it was domesticated more than 7,000 years ago. It reached America through the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors during the 16th century; the records indicate that Fray Tomás de Berlanga brought the first plantain from the Canary Islands to the island of Hispaniola in 1516, from where it spread across the whole continent. In Mexico it quickly naturalised in the tropical regions of the Gulf, south-east and Pacific coast, where it found an ideal warm humid climate. The 'macho' or cooking-plantain variety became especially popular in Tabasco, Veracruz and Chiapas, becoming deeply integrated into the regional recipe book with African influence brought by enslaved people during the colonial period. SADER reports that Mexico is one of the main Latin American producers of plantain and banana, with Tabasco in the lead. Larousse Cocina records it as an indispensable fruit of the Mexican tropical recipe book.

Characteristic ingredients

The plantain differs from the dessert banana (Musa acuminata) by its larger size, higher starch content and lower sugar; it must be eaten cooked. The plants reach up to 7 metres; they are not trees but giant herbs with pseudostems formed of leaf sheaths. Each bunch ('hand') can have between 30 and 60 fruits. The flesh contains starch, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and fibre. Green it is used as a starchy vegetable in fried foods, crisps (thinly sliced fried plantains as a snack), tostones (thick slices flattened and fried) and stews. Ripe it becomes sweet and is used in fried plantain with cream, sweet empanadas, stuffed molotes, cheese fritters and sweets. In Yucatecan cuisine it appears in the polkán and in strained beans; in Veracruz it is prepared with black beans as a classic side. Soups, atoles and sweets such as plantain in syrup are also made.

Cultural significance

The plantain is an identity element of Afro-mestizo and tropical Mexican cuisine. In Veracruz it accompanies black beans and is served fried with cream, while in Tabasco it appears in dishes such as plantains stuffed with picadillo or cheese and cooked plantains as a side for meats. In Chiapas sweet plantain empanadas and molotes are made; on the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca it has a central role in Afro-Mexican cuisine. SADER recognises Tabasco as the country's leading plantain-producing state. The crop supports rural economies in tropical regions and is an essential component of the daily diet of many families. It has no denomination of origin, but the Tabasco plantain is recognised for its quality. Its culinary versatility, its caloric contribution and its affordable price have made it one of the most democratic fruits of the cuisine of south-east Mexico and the coasts.

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