Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 3 plantain, yellow with few black spots, unpeeled
- 30 g capers, drained and rinsed
- 150 g red bell pepper, finely diced
- 75 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Lemon-Curry Dressing
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g mild yellow curry powder
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 356 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 503 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 805 mg
- Calcium
- 25 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 77 mg
- Phosphorus
- 73 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 72 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 84 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 69 mcg
- Water
- 162 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the whole, unpeeled plantains into a large pot of boiling water at 100C/212F. Boil until they are fork-tender but still offer slight resistance to maintain their structure.
Remove the plantains from the water and transfer them to a cutting board. Allow them to rest until they are cool enough to handle safely.
Peel the cooled plantains, discarding the skins, and cut the flesh into neat, bite-sized cubes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, curry powder, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until thoroughly emulsified.
Add the diced plantains, drained capers, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, and chopped cilantro to the mixing bowl. Toss gently to ensure all ingredients are coated evenly in the dressing without breaking up the plantains.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad. Allowing it to rest will help the starchy plantains absorb the tangy and spiced vinaigrette.
Chef's Notes
- Boiling plantains in their skins is a crucial Caribbean technique. It prevents the fruit from becoming waterlogged, preserving the necessary starch structure to hold up in a salad.
- The ripeness of the plantain dictates the flavor profile of the dish. A yellow skin with just a few black spots offers the ideal balance: firm enough to dice, yet sweet enough to contrast the briny capers.
- Rinsing the capers lightly before use removes excess brine, ensuring the delicate balance between the apple cider vinegar and the lemon juice in the dressing is not overwhelmed by salt.
- Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier in the vinaigrette, ensuring the olive oil and dual acids bind together into a cohesive sauce that coats the plantains rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The plantains will continue to absorb the dressing over time, intensifying the flavor.
Troubleshooting
Plantains turn into a mushy paste when tossed
Cause: Plantains were either overripe, overcooked during boiling, or tossed too aggressively
Fix: Cannot be fixed as a composed salad. Repurpose by mashing completely into a spiced plantain side dish.
Prevention: Select firm-yellow plantains rather than completely black ones, and boil only until just tender. Toss the salad gently with a folding motion.
Dressing tastes overly acidic or sharp
Cause: Lemons were exceptionally tart, or the plantains lacked sufficient natural sweetness to balance the vinegar and lemon juice
Fix: Add a small drizzle of maple syrup or agave nectar to the salad and toss gently to balance the acidity.
Prevention: Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad, keeping the ripeness of your plantains in mind.
Cultural Context
This dish represents a modern culinary crossroads, anchoring the staple starch of Afro-Caribbean cuisine the plantain with flavor profiles from the Mediterranean and South Asia. Traditionally, plantains are often fried or stewed, but serving them boiled and chilled in a vinaigrette draws inspiration from traditional root vegetable salads, offering a lighter, refreshing application that highlights the versatility of this vital tropical crop.
