Tajadas
Long, thin fried plantain slices - the universal Honduran side. Ripe ones turn sweet and soft; green ones turn crisp and salty. Served under pollo con tajadas, alongside refried beans on the plato típico, packed into baleadas or piled into a bowl as their own snack.
Overview
The plantains are peeled and cut lengthways into 5 mm slices, then fried in a shallow pool of vegetable oil until deep gold. Ripe (yellow with black spots) plantains caramelise sweet and turn soft; green plantains stay starchy and crisp. Each works, depending on what's on the plate.
Ingredients
- 3 plantains (peeled - see Notes; sliced lengthways into 5 mm strips)
- 200 ml vegetable oil (for shallow frying)
- Salt
Method
Stage 1 - Heat the oil
- Pour 5 mm of oil into a wide frying pan.
- Heat to 170°C (a slice of plantain should bubble vigorously without colouring instantly).
Stage 2 - Fry
- Lay the plantain slices in a single layer (cook in two batches).
- Ripe: 2-3 minutes per side until deep gold and soft.
- Green: 3-4 minutes per side until pale gold and crisp.
- Don't overcrowd; the slices need room.
Stage 3 - Drain
- Lift onto kitchen paper; sprinkle lightly with salt while hot.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Eat immediately. Tajadas stiffen as they cool.
Notes
- Peeling plantain: Top and tail, then score the skin lengthways in 3 places (don't cut into the flesh); peel each strip away. Ripe peels off easily; green needs a paring knife.
- Ripe vs green: Yellow plantain skin with black spots = ripe (sweet, soft). All green skin = green (starchy, crisp). Yellow with no spots = transitional - decide which side you want and adjust.
- Salt timing: Salt sticks while the tajadas are hot from the fryer; doesn't stick once they cool.
Storage
- Eat fresh. Don't refrigerate. If you must, re-crisp at 200°C for 5 minutes.
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