Ba Jiao

The plantain (芭蕉) in Taiwan wields ephiphanic qualities to me and like creatures. Plantains common in the states are large, green and tough. They go largely unappreciated because most Americans don't know what to do with them and will often move on after stopping to cop a feel. I know only one way to eat these plantains and that is how my mom does them. In her kitchen the plantains are thickly sliced and lightly fried until golden on both sides. They are generously salted to taste while still in the pan. She then let's them "cool" (will-burn-you-->still-pretty-darn-hot) before smashing them into cm-thick disks with the side of a knife just as she learned to do in Dominican Republic (a.k.a. my birthplace).
Hot. Damn. Delicious.


nearest depiction [not my photo]


But it looks nothing like this.

Apparently I have heretofore been missing out on the other plantain. These are shorter, thicker, and denser than their sister fruit, the banana. There is a chewing gum-like elasticity to its bite that makes you want to make that annoying smacking sound with ur mouth+mouth contents. But that doesn't work, sorry.


Cut to abrupt conclusion:
Not hot but still Damn Delicious.