Baked plantains with cinnamon
First things first: A few facts about plantains
- They belong to the banana family.
- They are often bigger, starchier and harder than the dessert bananas we usually eat.
- They cannot be eaten in their raw form.
- You can roast, bake, boil or fry them.
- They can be eaten with meat, chicken and rice.
- You can have them for breakfast, lunch, tea or supper.
The raw plantains look like this:
How to prepare baked plantains with cinnamon
Step # 1: Gather all the ingredients and equipment
List of ingredients:
- 2 ripe plantains
- Vegetable oil
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
- A pinch of salt (optional)
List of equipment:
- A pyrex dish for baking.
- A pastry brush for spreading the vegetable oil on the plantains.
- A small bowl or container for the vegetable oil.
- A big knife for cutting the plantains.
- A wooden chopping board to be used as a cutting board and a place where you can put the hot pyrex dish when it is out of the oven. We used two chopping boards: a white plastic one for cutting the plantains and a wooden one for supporting the hot pyrex dish after the baking was done.
- Two medium-sized bowls (one bowl will be used for washing the plantains and the other one can receive the peelings from the plantains).
- A teaspoon for measuring the cinnamon. You can also use your fingers like we did.
- Oven gloves or two dish towels for taking out the hot pyrex dish from the oven.
- A tablespoon for dishing out the baked plantains.
You can find the same vocabulary below.
Download worksheets:
- Ingredients and Equipment for Baked Plantains With Cinnamon, Learn English With Africa, 2016
- Pronunciation: Baked Plantains With Cinnamon, Learn English With Africa, December 2016
A video of this recipe can be found at the bottom of the page!
Step #2: Wash and dry the plantains
Wash the plantains in a sink. Shake out all excess water afterwards. You can dry the plantains with a tea towel too.
Step #3: Peel and cut the plantains
Place the washed plantains on a chopping board. Remove the tips of the plantains first before cutting and peeling. When you have finished, arrange the pieces in the pyrex dish.
Step #4: Spread the vegetable oil
Pour a small quantity of vegetable oil in a container. Then take the pastry brush to spread the oil on the bananas. You do not need to use all the oil.
Step #5: Sprinkle the cinnamon on the plantains
Put the pyrex dish in front of you. Take out small amounts of the cinnamon using your fingertips or a teaspoon then sprinkle it evenly on the plantains. You can also add a little salt at this stage.
Put away the cinnamon once you have finished to have a clean working space while you are working.
Step #6: Bake the plantains
Pre-heat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius or 392 Fahrenheit. Put the pyrex dish with the plantains at medium level. Bake for 30 minutes. When done, take out the hot pyrex dish using oven gloves or two kitchen towels. Place the dish on a wooden board. Get ready to serve the plantains.
Step #7: Admire your results
Check the results. Admire your work and also look for ways in which you can improve your recipe next time.
Step #8: Serve the plantains
There are different ways you can serve the plantains. You can decorate with fresh herbs such as parsley or coriander.
We chose to have baked plantains with black tea. We enjoyed this so much and it was fun to make!
Further Exploration:
Read:
- 4 quick and healthy meals with African ingredients
- Food in Africa
- Small kitchen appliances vocabulary
Watch:
Thank you for dropping by. Until next time!
Shop:
About the Author
Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.
Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks six languages fluently, including French, Polish and Italian. She is now learning Kiswahili, German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.
Course Title: Sunday Delights: Baked Plantains with Cinnamon (Level A2-B1-B2)© Learn English With Africa, December 2016
