Negotiating & Bargaining
>> Saturday, 5 June 2010
If you're anything like me, when it comes to eating certain foods, you negotiate and bargin with yourself. When I find myself in such a situation, it is quite a sight because you would swear that I have gone mad. I pace. I stop and stare at nothing in particular while the wheels in my mind roll, bounce and tumble; and yes, I talk to myself - in whispers and aloud. Let me take you through my most recent episode. And when you're done, be sure to check out my friend Mike's effort to eat healthy. Oh the lengths we go to and the things we say to justify our choices. I'd love to hear how you bargain and negotiate when you want to indulge or feel guilty having indulged.
Clockwise: skinless fried chicken, steamed corn, steamed okra, tomatoes & green plantain fries
Whenever a fruit or vegetable has just come into season, the first way I prefer to have it, is prepared simply, or, as some cases require - eaten as is. Steaming the corn may sound bland, but it isn't if you have fresh sweet corn. The kernels plump up and burst in your mouth letting out all its natural juice. It will have you knawing at the cob long after the kernels are gone.
There was a time in Guyana when a lot of imported items such as English potatoes were banned (that's a story for another time). The local fast food outlets then started making green plantain fries to go along with the fried chicken they would sell. It was a hit. Actually a friend of mine who was visiting the other day says that prefers to have his chicken with plantain fries.
Beautifully golden and very easy to make; these are best eaten while still warm. They are hearty and really compliment fried chicken or fried fish. Try it sometime.
Green Plantain Fries
INGREDIENTS
2 large green plantains
Oil to shallow fry
Salt
DIRECTIONS
- Peel plantains and cut in half crossway; now cut each piece in half lengthways then cut into fries by further cutting each half lengthways into 3 each strips/wedge
- Heat oil on medium heat
- Fry plantain in batches until golden; drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt
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47 comments:
Love plantains.. I'm going to have to make them into fries like this next time, usually I twice fry them. I never have to reason with myself when it comes to platinos though. :)
I indulge and then the next cut down on the carb intake.
I will take plantain fries any day.
I always remove the skin from the chicken as my family prefer like that . I am surprised t read potatoes were banned once in gunya.
Lov ethe fried green plantain too.
Cynthia,
Love the shallow fry method for the plantains; will have to try this next time I cook them. What did you coat the chicken in? I would think skinless fried chicken would be hard - yours, of course, looks fabulous so I was wondering how it was prepared.
Thanks,
Sandy
With a great effort I've had to limit myself to Low Glycemic Index food. You might guess I have made great progress: Corn, plantains, potatoes, sugar, or rice are vanished from my kitchen, and nobody has complained!
Loved the battle of wits in your coloumn! I for one say that I have taken the first step by saying that I will jog loner tomorrow. To recogise is half the battle for me. Whether I actually do it not is another story!
I also love plantains!! we can buy them in our African neighbourhood here in Brussels!
I alkso allways rtemove the sqkin from my chiken. My husband & I don't like the skin!
The fried plantains looks so tasty!
A lovely meal! Those plantain fries look awesome!
Cheers,
Rosa
I LOVE steaming corn. it makes a world of diff. of course i didn't always do this.
LOVED reading your internal battle. Too funny. Have you been visiting inside my head recently? Sounds like you've been reading my mind except that I'm a mutterer too and it drives my husband crazy
Thanks for the mention Cynthia! Although, I would like to emphasize the "try" part of eating healthy...because you know I often don't!
What a lovely colourful meal. I love steamed corn too!
Those fries sound wonderfully different! May have to try them - in particular because we're in the land of potato fries.
We often see plantains at the grocers, nit I must admit I havee't tried making them in years. I better get on with it:D
Mmmm...those remind me of buying tostones on the side of the street in the Dominican Republic. There was always several women on the side of the street at a small cart constantly smacking plantains with a flat wooden mallet, frying them, and selling them cheaply. Would fries work just as well with brown plantains? I would think they might not hold their shape as well...
I totally agree with you on the corn. I call it naked corn and it's the only way I'll eat it.
wow! colourful platter!
my husband adores plantain chips so i can see these would be a bit hit too.
Fresh corn features often on our menu....I very often lose the battle in my head..
I like this, beautiful colors.
The fried chicken sounds perfect and I love the idea of plantain fries, an excellent meal!
If I see such fried chicken in plate, my mind will not negociate , i jump right away and clean the plate in few minutes!
Plantain fries sound and look amazing! They look almost like potato fries...
Of course we should try to eat healthy, but we should also eat happy. I believe that indulging in a sane amount of luxury food (fried foods. or good chocolate vs junk candy, etc.) cuts the insane craving that builds up when you deny yourself completely... it keeps you from going wild when your willpower slumps.
I prefer to have fried chicken skin-on...hee heee....
Steamed okra?? now thats a new one for me - I love okra, but always cooked as a stir fry...
The skinless fried chicken looks very very good....and so do the plantain fries - just saw the ripe version of this on Sig's blog Live to Eat - so many similarities huh...i have just finished musing on my blog about how local and regional cuisine is so interesting and needs to be preserved.
Love the green plantain fries. What a lovely alternative to the usual potato ones.
What a delicious healthy meal! Yum!
Cynthia, I haven't eaten anything fried for months. I've been following the Mediterranean Diet and eating healthier without depriving my family and myself from delicious food.
I am hosting an event to bring awareness about heart disease in memory of a dear friend and blogger who passed away recently, Rosie, from Baking and Cakes Galore and hope that you and your readers may participate.
For me the greatest pleasure in fried chicken is the skin and the fried flour coating - the flesh, I usually discard or pass on to The Spouse. I find that the spices don't really seep into it and it seems pointless to continue eating.
My bargain is usually more exercise or a fruit lunch and breakfast the next day.
Cyn,
Potatoes were banned? One day, please tell us the story.
You are so funny. I love the conversation you were having with yourself. Frankly, what's the point of fried chicken without the skin? I could leave the chicken and just take the skin.
I haven't actually had fried chicken in ages, but I love mashed potatoes as an accompaniment. I'm not sure they're much better for you than French fries, but they're really good.
Cynthia, have never tried plaintain chips but will do so soon, loved the chicken platter, it's so colourful!
I love plantains I found some really god at my farmer´s market.Your combination is really good
GIMME those green plantain fries!
I eat healthy most of the time. I really do enjoy healthy whole foods like cauliflower and sweet potatoes and pumpkin...but of course I'll get bored from such "good" eating all the time, and won't be able to socialize.
So I indulge. Almost every day. But in small doses. And honestly, I have not seen my blood cholesterol shoot up, or my thighs starting to waddle.
What a beautiful top photo...such so appetzing with healthy colors. you're right...it is almost bargainging with yourself!
Ronelle
Cynthia -
Great post! I dig the fried plantains! And of course they make a great Jibarito sandwich - we have the sandwich place here in Chicago.
cheers!
Gabi.
Lovely post. It's interesting to read your inner battle to eat healthy. I think most of us have to fight that battle every now and then :P I love the fried plantain. The whole dish looks healthy and delicious.
Oh! Haven't had fried plantain for a while...yummie!
that is a colorful and inviting plate... pass one on!
i like !!!
The green plantain fries look so inviting and its being promptly bookmarked
Yummy! And great photos!
We go so low on our carb intakes, well most of the time except on weekends and when we eat out. We would eat plantain fries at home, as a side with dal and rice, but they would be sliced thin in circles. Love them! and we would eat steamed okras too, i guess the only place in India that will eat steamed okra is West Bengal. They are steamed in rice while the rice is cooking.
Nice article....almost all of us have gone through this negotiation phase quite often.
The plantain fries sound wonderful.
LOL!! Cynthia, you're good to have all of that negotiating and dialoging with yourself on whether or not to have fried chicken, how to prepare it and what to have with it etc. I do no such thing. I either have what I want and move on from there OR I just don't have it and wait until later on to treat myself. lol!! However, I've never had or heard of eating fried green plantains. I've got to try that soon... :-)
I'd love to try those plantain fries!
Can't wait to try it I think it's gonna be great, thanks for the recipe :)
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