This sweet plantain recipe is vegan, delicious and is very easy to make. Stewed in coconut milk and spiced with cardamom, it has a rich sweet floral note to it.
I remember my home every time that I make this sweet plantain recipe because it used to be a breakfast staple. Likewise, it usually evokes a sense of curiosity whenever I offer it to someone who hasn’t tried it and, needless to say, it gets over quickly. I get reminded of banana foster in a way, but is made with plantains and uses coconut milk instead of butter.
Come summer, the sight of sweet fried plantains and tostones had me wondering whether this home version of a dessert with ripe plantains would get a seat at the table for those unfamiliar with it. It’s a great dessert option since it is comparatively healthier, vegan and tastes delicious.
This recipe is very specific to the region that I come from, and uses jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) to sweeten the dish. I have also tried using coconut sugar and it tastes delicious as well. I like a less milkier version with more jaggery/coconut sugar. That said, the degree of sweetness can be adjusted per your taste.
Cardamom to spice up the dessert
This recipe uses cardamom that I got from Diaspora Co . They source this wild, aromatic, cardamom that is grown without any pesticides fresh from the land of spices, Kerala. You can buy it here. Cardamom lends a nice floral touch to this recipe, traditionally some may use it, some may choose to opt it out.
Diaspora has an amazing business model. They source the freshest, heirloom, and single-origin spices directly from small farmers in India. In this way, they are helping build a better spice trade, that is far more equitable and procures the highest quality products.
Step by Step Method to Make this Sweet Plantain recipe.
Wash and peel the ripe plantains and chop them into thick 1 inch slices. Boil water in a pan and add the chopped plantains to it.
Cover and cook the plantains for a few minutes until they turn soft. Add coconut sugar (or jaggery) and cardamom powder, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Lower the heat and add thick coconut milk to the pan. Mix everything well, let it simmer for a few minutes. Top with roasted cashews and enjoy warm or chilled.
Sweet Plantain Recipe
This sweet plantain recipe is vegan, delicious and is very easy to make. Spiced with cardamom, it has a sweet floral note to it.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder (from 3 cardamom pods)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or jaggery (reduce if you don't prefer it too sweet)
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (thick)
- 1 tbsp. roasted cashews.
Instructions
- Wash and Peel the ripe plantains.
- Chop the plantains into thick 1 inch slices.
- Boil water in a pan and add the chopped plantains to it.
- Cover and cook the plantains for a few minutes (12-15 minutes) until they turn soft. Flip the plantains midway so that both sides are cooked well.
- Add coconut sugar (or jaggery) and cardamom powder. Cook for 4 minutes on low heat
- Lower the heat and add thick coconut milk to the pan. Mix everything well and switch off the heat
- Top with roasted cashews and enjoy warm or chilled.
Notes
To make a keto version, you can add monk fruit as the desired sweetener, but you won't get the rich caramelized color to the dessert.
If you prefer a saucier version, add 1/4 cup water or thin coconut milk to loosen it a bit. Optional - You can also add a pinch of dry ginger powder at the end, it gives out a nice aroma and is good for health as it stimulates digestion helping those with sluggish digestion.
I hope that you will love this dessert. You also check out another that is also made with tropical fruit, my sweet jackfruit halva.
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