Plantain Chips

~ Paleo ~
A common misconception about eating whole non-processed foods is that you either have to give up snacking or learn to enjoy eating carrots and celery sticks – don’t knock ’em until you’ve tried them with almond butter or home made guacamole YUM! I was a long time lover of potato chips (salt & vinegar McCoys were my achilles heel) & thought I’d never find something to replace that deliciously satisfying crunch you get out of a mouthful of chips. There was a deep void in the pit of my stomach until one night I wanted to make ceviche & stumbled across a recipe that included it’s own home made plantain chips. My mind was blown! Healthy chips that were easy to make and that I didn’t have to feel guilty about snacking on. Winning!

All this time living in the Caribbean and finally I’ve found a use for this local fruit that is always in abundance on the supermarket shelves. The custom here is to deep fry ripe plantain and serve it alongside a huge plate of rice & beans & jerk chicken. Not the healthiest of meals if you’re looking to keep your blood sugar levels stable! But after being introduced to the idea of plantain chips I did a little research and discovered that green plantains are a form of complex carbohydrate that have a naturally low glycemic index value which means they do not cause a rapid rise in blood glucose level. So serving these as a side to fresh ceviche with some guacamole creates a perfectly balanced meal.

My first few attempts at making these chips I baked them and they turned out pretty well but you really need to slice them pretty thin. If you have a food processor with adjustable slicing dimensions then you’ll want to set it to its lowest setting or about 1/16 inches thick. That or a mandolin slicer would work really well. I didn’t have either to hand & with my most recent attempt I just used a vegetable peeler and then I lightly fried my plantain in coconut oil. It was a little tricky with the vegetable peeler but have a go and see what works best for you!

METHOD

1. Run a knife along the sides of the plantain careful not to cut through to the fruit. Peel the skin away and then using your food processor or mandolin finely chop the plantain into circular discs or slice so they’re long and thin.
2. Toss with a little coconut oil add a pinch of salt and any seasoning – smoked paprika works well and then lay them out on a cookie tray. Place in an oven heated to 400˚F and bake for 15 minutes turning half way through.
3. Alternatively once sliced and seasoned heat coconut oil in a pan and fry your plantain turning once. Cook to desired colouring.
4. Once cooked remove from cookie tray or pan and place them on paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Sprinkle with a little more salt and then serve with your home made ceviche or guacamole. I like mine with fresh pico de gallo!
5. Keep leftover chips in an air tight container & consume within a few days of cooking for optimum freshness & crunch.