HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN PLANTAIN

Plantain is a staple food in tropical climates. Green or unripe plantain is said to be beneficial to health because of its content of food nutrients. Some of them are Vitamin B6, complex carbohydrates, potassium, etc. 

Vitamin B6 is said to aid in the production of red blood cells in the body. 

Complex carbohydrates contain higher fibre than simple carbohydrates. This means that foods with complex carbs are more filling because they take a longer time to digest. In other words, foods with complex carbs like green or unripe plantain help you control weight gain. 

According to a doctor friend of mine, low potassium in the body may leave one prone to high blood pressure, heart related diseases, etc. Please verify from your doctor. I am NOT a medical personnel in any form, shape or guise. Be guided please. 🤓

On a good day, I am not a fan of green or unripe plantain. I prefer ripe plantain. Also, unripe plantain does not have a “come and eat me” appearance when cooked. Lol. So I’m like, if I have to eat you, you have to look appealing to me in the first place. That line of thought produced this dish.

Ingredients are unripe plantain, eggs, onions, carrots, green bell pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, tomatoes, green beans, spring onions, fresh ginger, vegetable oil, knorr chicken, curry, thyme and salt.

How To:

Wash your unripe plantain, peel and dice. 

Put in the pot, add water, some salt and seasoning. Also add the washed eggs to boil while the plantain gets cooked.

You want to go easy on the salt and seasoning because you will season and salt the vegetables too. Add a little bit of vegetable oil so that the diced plantain does not stick to the pot if you're not using a non-stick pot.

While the eggs and plantain are doing their thing in the pot, wash and slice your vegetables, peel and grate your fresh ginger.

When you think the eggs are hard boiled, bring them out while the plantain is still being cooked, and put the eggs in ordinary water. That way, you can remove the egg shells when you’re ready without giving your hard boiled eggs potholes. 🤓 

You want to make sure your plantain is as tender as you like it. Unripe plantain takes a longer time to soften than ripe plantain. When your plantain is ready, turn off your cooker. You want it tender with just a little bit of the water left in it for that yummy smooth effect in the mouth. By this time you should have finished preparing your vegetables.

Put a wok or frying pan on your cooker. Add vegetable oil. Allow it to heat up. Add a good portion of the onions you sliced and leave to sauté. Then, in go your carrots, green beans, tomatoes and scotch bonnet pepper, green bell pepper, ginger, spring onions and the remaining portion of the onions in that order. That’s because you add them one after the other while you stir: carrots, stir for a bit, green beans, stir for a bit and so on. 

When your veggies have all made it into your wok/frying pan, add your curry, thyme, seasoning and salt. Again, one after the other. It may just be in my head but I think my meals taste better this way than when I add the ingredients all at once. Please remember you added salt and seasoning to the plantain. You may want to taste the plantain before you go “trigger-happy” with the salt and seasoning on your veggies. 

Taste the veggies. When it is ready and you are satisfied with the taste, turn off your cooker. Add the boiled plantain and mix gradually with the veggies. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes while you peel your eggs and decorate if you want to. Dish and eat.

Such a yummy meal! My mouth is still watering even as I type. Meanwhile my pot has forgotten that it boiled the plantain several weeks ago.😋

I am not ashamed to tell you that I went for second and third helpings in spite of the fact that the meal was filling. 😁 

What can I say? I love to eat tasty meals. Just thankful that this meal is (or should I say "was"? 🤓) a healthy meal. I expected at least an extra inch on my waist line the next day when I measured with my tape. I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that instead of adding an inch like I usually do when I over eat, I lost half an inch instead. 

How would you prepare your green plantain? What other ingredients or protein would you add? What other health benefits did I leave out? Tell me in the comment section.

Happy Mother's Day! 🎉❤️🌹

Stay beautiful,

'Zibah.