Don't say I didn't warn you, because more latkes are coming! And to continue our latke making marathon, today's newest arrival is an ode to some of my favorite Latin flavors; crisp plantain latkes with avocado crema.
With inspiration from my favorite salty snack, plantain chips or the more familiar tostones, plantains fry up beautifully. Of course, make sure you get the unripe green plantains and the more firm the better. The darker they get, the plantain will be too soft and sweet, though sweet fried plantains are a whole other treat of their own.
You can grate plantains If you have a food processor, it makes it even easier. But word of warning, plantains get a bit on the sticky side. Like potato latkes, you can still squeeze the water out,but just be prepared for the plantain mixture to be a bit sticky. So when you are in the midst of frying, make sure to oil the back of a spoon or small spatula to gently press down the latke. This will ensure the mixture doesn't stick to the spoon, and will make it a bit flatter and therefore, crispier!
Happy Hanukkah and happy frying!
Plantain Latkes
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
Plantain Latkes
- 2 green plantains
- ¼ of a large yellow onion or ½ small yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked chipotle
- 1 whole egg whisked
- ¼ cup matzo meal
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Canola or grapeseed oil for frying
Avocado crema
- 1 ripe avocado
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt is a good substitute
- 1 lime juiced
- Small bunch of fresh cilantro leaves about ½ cup
- Small bunch of fresh parsley leaves about ½ cup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon water for consistency
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First prep your ingredients. Use a paring knife to peel off the tough skin on the plantain and chop into smaller pieces, but large enough to fit through the feed of a food processor (or you can sue a hand grater if you prefer).
- Using a food processor with the small shredding blade, shred the plantains and the onion. Then add the mixture to a bowl and grate 2 garlic cloves, add the egg, matzo meal and spices and mix everything together well.
- Next, heat a large frying pan with enough canola oil to coat the bottom and allow to come up to about 360 degrees F, or you can test it with a small piece of batter and if it sizzles, it’s ready.
- Then spoon a tablespoon-sized amount of latke mixture into the pan, and slowly add it to the hot oil. Lightly grease the back of your spoon and gently press down on the latke so it fries up evenly. I add about 3-4 latkes to a large skillet.
- Fry on first side until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes then use a spatula to carefully flip over and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until crispy.
- Once done, remove to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt as soon as they are done frying.
- To make the avocado crema, add the avocado, sour cream, lime juice, herbs and spices to a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Add a bit a water to make it a creamier consistency.
- When everything is done, serve the latkes with avocado crema and garnish with additional cilantro.
Amy S says
A group of friends is getting together to make and eat 5 of your latke variations. I am going to make the plaintain latkes. The recipe posted at MyJewishLearning doesn’t have the number of servings or how many latkes it makes. It looks like they are very small based on the amount of batter you suggest using. If I want 12 medium size latkes would I make a double recipe? Thanks.
Samantha says
Hi Amy! The latkes are not "too small", but are not large. The recipe makes about 10-12 medium (a bit smaller than the palm of my hand). I wouldn't double the recipe, per se, since that would make a lot of mixture, but you could add another green plantain to "stretch it out".
Marry says
I finally made this recipe and I loved it! The avocado crema put it right over the top. Thank you so much:)
Coley | Coley Cooks says
Girl, you're latke game is crazy strong!! The flavor combinations you came up with are downright genius! This shiksa has no reason to wait until next Hanukkah to try these out. Yummmmm!!!