These Crunchy Plantain Mint Balls are all you will ever need in life! They are so filled with spiciness and yummy flavor, it is ridiculous! These are a touch of savory, a touch of sweetness and a whole ton of yummy! Plantain Mint Balls are relatively easy to make and even easier to eat. The type of plantain you use is going to make a difference in the texture. This has become a very popular recipe to use for snacks or appetizers. These are the options:
- Yellow and ripe
I used my plantains as they were becoming over ripe. I feel that they made this recipe perfect. The plantains that are yellow ripe will give a natural sweetness, but it will be difficult to get the outer layer crispy as it should be
- Green/Yellow
Many people recommend using plantains at this point for the crunchy and crispy outer layer. At this stage the plantain will still be firm but have a little sweetness to them. They are mostly just ripe not overripe.
- Green
Some people may prefer this for this recipe as it provides more structure so you would generally need less bread crumbs. But this also leaves the misture with a sour taste from the plantains and you would need a sweetener to cut through.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Which Plantain do you prefer?
I have made Crunchy Plantain Balls using the green/yellow i.e just ripe plantains and also some over ripe plantains. I mix both or half-and-half for the perfect consistency and sweetness. It depends on how firm you want the plantain to be and how much breadcrumbs you want in the mixture. The idea is to use as little breadcrumbs as possible to leave more room for the actual plantains when frying them up.
- Should I use a scotch bonnet or Chilli Powder?
To get the desired flavour from the chilli, it is best to use the scotch bonnet. Scotch bonnets have a really flavourful heat and I am biased as I grew up with it. However, I am sure some other forms of chilli would work perfectly.
- Which is best, fresh mint or dried mint?
Of course, you will get a stronger mint flavour from the freshly chopped mint leaves. If you cannot find fresh leaves, dried mint is perfectly okay to use.
