Unlike your local Cavendish, these are cooking bananas that you're meant to fry, roast, or boil first at any stage of ripeness. Also, unlike bananas, plantains aren't considered fully ripe until ...

Meanwhile, black plantains are completely ripe. The flesh is soft and has an almost caramel-like sweetness that's perfect for dessert. But what does a plantain's ripening timeline look like?

If you see a plantain in your kitchen ... when it’s green (almost ripe,) when it is yellow (ripe,) or when it is black (overripe.) Boiled, fried, or steamed, we love a nourishing and versatile ...

The less soft, slightly tough plantain fruit is best eaten cooked: sauteed, fried, baked or even boiled! In many cuisines ... be less healthy than a ripe banana eaten raw from the peel.

These plantain röstis make a great brunch or lunch dish and can be topped with boiled eggs for extra protein. For the plantain and potato röstis, fold a clean tea towel around the grated potato ...