Last Updated on June 19, 2022 by Chef Mireille
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Bannann Peze is one of the most delicious and beloved side dishes in Haitian Cuisine. This Haitian Style Fried Plantain is fried twice with a secret step in between which gives it such a deep flavor that is quite indescribable. Without Bannann Peze, a Haitian meal remains incomplete.
Banan Peze will become your new way to enjoy Fried Green Plantain.
Try Banane Peze and other Haitian Recipes and you will be so happy yu have gone exploring into this island cuisine.
Table of Contents
Fried Plantain is a ubiquitous side dish to any Caribbean meal. Either boiled or fried green or ripe plantain accompany almost every meal. Frying ripe plantain is pretty easy. Simply peel, slice and fry in oil.
Frying green plantain takes a little bit more work. Even just learning how to easily remove the skin off of the green plantain takes some skill. To see how it’s done, take a look at how easy it is to remove the skin of a raw green plantain here on Instagram or here on Tik Tok.
In most of the Caribbean, green plantain is double fried. It is first cut into thick slices and fried just o give it a little color. They are then trned into flattened plantains with a plantain press called a Tostonera and then fried again. If you don’t have a tostonera, you can also press down on the plantain with a heavy cast iron pan wrapped in aluminum foil. I’ve also seen some people use a tortilla press to do this.
What makes the Haitian Style twice fried plantains a little different is that in between it is dipped in a salt water with vinegar solution. This creates an additional level of flavor that brings Haitian Fried Plantains to the next level!
But before we get to making Bannann Peze, let’s first talk about picking plantains. Your Haitian Fried Green Plantain recipe won’t come out right if you don’t know how to select the plantains.
HOW TO PICK GREEN PLANTAINS
I still meet people every day who have never eaten plantains. It no longer surprises me, but being from Caribbean parents, I try to convince them what they’re missing out on. Many sometimes tell me that they want to try it, but they are not sure how to pick the plantains at the market with the color range from green to yellow to black.
The worst plantain in my opinion is when it is in that in between stage. It’s not quite ripe yet, but it is no longer green. It’s half way savory and sweet and for me it’s like a schizophrenic plantain. It doesn’t know what it is. Am I green? Am I ripe? It just doesn’t know!
To make Bannann Peze, you wan’t your plantain to be green. Even the ends should not be yellow. If you see yellow anywhere on the plantain, it is starting to turn ripe. Pick another one that is completely green.
TO REMEMBER
To learn more about picking, peeling and cooking both green and ripe plantain, see here!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s so great about this recipe is that it’s so easy and only requires a few simple ingredients.
The Ingredients
- green plantains
- oil
- salt
- vinegar
How to Cook Green Plantain (Haitian Style)
- Peel and cut the plantains into large pieces of equal size.
- Place the plantain slices in a pan of hot oil and fry until it just starts to turn golden brown. Alternately, you can do this in a deep fryer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt and 1/2 cup of water.
- Place the plantain slices in the vinegar solution for 1-2 minutes.
- Flatter the plantain slices with some kind of plantain smasher like a tostonera or heavy pan.
- Place the plantain slices back into the hot oil for a second time, until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Serve with Sos Malice and/or Pikliz.
In Haiti, if we are serving it as a party appetizer, it would be served with Pikliz or Sos Ti Malice. Otherwise, it is a common side dish served with most Haitian meals.
Make it a Meal
Here’s a complete Haitian meal you can enjoy with your Haitian Plantains recipe.
- Haitian Stew Chicken in Sos
- Instant Pot Rice and Beans
- Pikliz – Pickled Vegetable Condiment
- Haitian Orange Cake (dessert)
In Haiti, if we are serving it as a party appetizer instead of just with a meal, it might be served with Pikliz or Sos Ti Malice.
Banane Peze – Haitian Double Fried Plantain
Equipment
- Deep Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 green plantains
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- extra salt for post frying
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Peel and slice plantains into large pieces.
- Heat a skillet with enough oil for deep frying. Fry the plantain slices about 2-3 minutes until they just start to turn golden.
- Remove onto paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, combine water, vinegar and salt.
- Transfer the plantain slices in vinegar solution for about 1-2 minutes.
- For the next step, you can use the flat side of a large knife like a cleaver or wrap a heavy pan (cast iron) in foil and use the bottom of the pot. You can also use a tostonera or a tortilla press.
- Place the fried plantain slices in the tostonera and lightly press down. Alternatively, place the fried plantain slices on a chopping board and with the cleaver or the cast iron pot, press down until the fried plantain slice is flattened.
- Fry again in the hot oil for a few minutes on both sides, until golden brown and crispy.
- As soon as it comes out of the hot oil, give it a scant sprinkle of salt and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Serve with every Haitian meal!
Interesting recipe Mir..
That is an awesome tutorial on selecting the perfect plantain Mir. Here in our farmer’s market, they have a separate place just for the green ones. So we just go and pick how much we need. No problem with getting a half ripe plantain. The fried plantain looks super inviting. I remember watching videos of street food carts making this.
Great tips on pocking green plantains. I don’t cook with plantains but when I do, will refer to your tips. Double fried plantains look nice.
Few of my Haitian friends have spoken load about this banane peze but never had a chance to taste them. Thanks for this lovely share Mir. Now i cant miss making this double fried plantain.
I loved this when I had made it Mir, totally worthy doing it. We also get the raw unripe ones for cooking and I love the different ways a plantain can be cooked.
its true – plantains are such a versatile cooking ingredient
I had these fried plantains in Puerto rico and I absolutely loved it. It is like no batter baji 🙂 It looks so addictive Mir
the PR version does do the vinegar step but is still quite delicious
I’ve made baked tostones and loved it, so now its time to try the fried version. I too am baffled when people have not tasted plantains, not even the chips! I love cooking with plantains. Soaking them in vinegar solution must be making it taste different.
I’ve never before heard of a baked version – will have to try those out also 🙂
That is a lot of work but the end result looks delicious.
really? it’s not so much work and the flavor is so worth any effort!
This sounds interesting…this looks similar to our banana chips but here it is thick…will try it once.
we also make plantain chips but this is another delicious and flavorful way we utilize plantain
I’ve tried tostones and Loved them. This Haitian version sounds equally delicious. Will have to try these out some time.
I am sure you will like the flavors in this version as well
Looks so yummy! I want to try these soon but will control till hubby is better.
sure – hope he gets better soon
I always find it difficult to pic plantains, thanks for the tips on how to. The double fried plantain sounds very delicious.
your welcome – hope it gets you to eat more plantains 🙂
I really enjoyed this post! I have a blog myself, if you are open, I might curate this post to my audience. Obviously give a link back.
yes please feel free to email me with any collaboration requests
I did not know that in most of the Caribbean, green plantain is double fried. One of my friends is from Haiti and he told me that he would like to come and visit me. Thanks for sharing this recipe but it would be better if I find a Haitian restaurant where I can take him for dinner.
Restaurants would be great for trying out a complete Haitian meal, especially if it is your first time trying the cuisine.
This delicious banana peze sounds so very yum and is different from our regular banana dishes. The double frying will make these banana chips yum. Thanks to the tips on how to pick green bananas.
yes although this double frying method is common in the Caribbean and vinegar bath is unique and adds so much flavor. I am sure you are going to love it!
We love plantains as use a lot in Kerala cuisine. I was so happy to try this simple delicious double-fried plantain. We will make it again.
Yes – that is one of the reasons I love Kerala cuisine so much because I am a plantain obsessed girl.
These plantain fritters look lovely and delicious. We used to eat a lot of plantain in East Africa, you have reminded me I need to make this again. Lovely recipe.
yes I may not be in the Caribbean, but I eat plantains on a weekly basis. Not sure how readily available they are over there in the UK, but eat more delicious plantains 🙂
I made this last night and my sister and I devoured them! Only difference is I used peanut oil, yellow plantains, and apple cider vinegar. Still came out delicious! She said they were very good. They had the perfect amount of salt and crispiness. Thank you Chef Mierelle for the recipe. It reminded us of growing up in our Haitian household. I ended up making more this morning.
So glad you liked them so much. I have been adding several Haitian recipes to the website, so you might want to check out some of the others – https://globalkitchentravels.com/haitian-recipes/