Home > Cooking with Kids Recipes > Green Banana Fries “Patacones” – Cooking with Kids

Green Banana Fries “Patacones” – Cooking with Kids

Welcome back to our second Cooking with Kids and this times key ingredient is Bananas. Living in Costa Rica for 3 years, I learnt a lot about Bananas, especially as I had to drive through some very big plantations between the nearest town and where I was based. One of my favourite types of banana was the more savoury Plantains, and I loved the dishes that we were served as sides. Patacones or Tostones were one of my favourites.  They are so easy to make, and they taste like traditional fries.

If you have received our cooking with kids updates via email, you will see that one of the reasons that I am working through this series is to get the kids to try new dishes and experiment with food as well as learn skills in cooking. Of the four people in our house, only 2 of us eat bananas – me and J. My husband and T won’t touch them. As soon as we bought the Plantains T threw her “I don’t like that”, face and said she would cook them but wouldn’t try them as she does not like Bananas. Amazingly once they were cooking, and we did the “you must try 1 mouthful of the food”, she discovered that, much like Potato fries, these are savoury and starchy.

Cerys from Rainy Day Mum cooking with her young son J at the dinning room table. They have a bowl infront of them and J is leaning over the bowl looking at the ingredients that Cerys is mixing. Both are wearing kitchen aprons and there is a rolling pin on the table.

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Recipe for Patacones

Plantains – Green (Verdes)
Water to boil
Oil to cover the bottom of the pan

Salt to flavour

Method for making Patacones

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

In Costa Rica, I was taught two different methods to cook Patacones. The first is a double-fry method and the second is a “boil and fry” method. I don’t particularly like greasy food, and have always preferred the “boil and fry” method. so we went ahead and did that method.  It is slightly more healthy.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

The first step was peeling the plantains. Plantains have a stiffer skin than bananas, so to peel them it’s best to score along the side of the plantain and then peel out from there.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

With the plantain peeled, cut it into 3 or 4 chunks.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Then place in a pan of boiling water, and allow to boil for 25 minutes. Now is a great time to teach your kids the terms of cooking, what’s the difference between “boil” and “simmer” for example.

Try another of my favourite recipes from living in Costa Rica Gallo Pinto which the kids will love to help you make too and is perfect to have with these patacones at breakfast time.

One of the reasons I love cooking on gas is that this is something that you can easily adjust to show so I switched down the heat to demonstrate simmering and then turned it up again and showed boiling.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Once the 25 minutes are up, put the plantain on a chopping board and then cut it into thin slices.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

With a wood pestle or a glass you want to flatten the slices. Put a little oil on either so that the starchy plantains won’t stick and then squish them but don’t break them up. T loved this part.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Once all of the slices are flattened. Heat up the oil in the bottom of a frying pan, and then add a few slices at a time. T is under 4 so I did this part as the oil can spit, and I didn’t want her to be burnt, however with older children you can help them.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Check that both sides are browned, then take them out, and place on some paper towel to remove the oil.  Sprinkle the fried plantain slices with salt. You could also add paprika or chilli flakes depending on your taste preferences. I like mine plain, and so it turns out, do the kids.

Patacones recipe to cook with kids
Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Patacones

Cerys Parker
Simple to make alternative to fries made with Plantains
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Latin American
Servings 20 patacones

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Green Plantains – Verdes
  • Water to boil
  • Oil
  • Salt to Taste

Instructions
 

  • Peel the plantains – easiest if you score along the skin and peel out
  • Chop into 3 or 4 chunks
  • Place in boiling water
  • Boil for 25 minutes
  • Take out and slice into 1/2 inch slices
  • Flattern with the base of a glass or wooden pestle
  • Heat oil in a frying pan
  • Add the flatterned plantain slices and fry
  • Turn over and brown on both sides
  • Place on Paper Towel to absorb some of the oil
  • Sprinkle with salt and add any extra flavouring you wish.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Cooking with Kids A – Z – B is for Bananas

This week Cooking with Kids is B is for Bananas. Be sure to check out our A is for apples from last time:- apple and cinnamon Loaf cake and Apple and pork sausage and bean casserole. We’ve also been joined by some fabulous bloggers from all around the world sharing their recipes featuring the key ingredient.  Below, is their list of Banana recipes for you to cook with your kids.

Banana Chicken Curry from Witty Hoots

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins from Mum in the Madhouse

Spelt Banana Bread from Thrifty Mom

Banana Cheesecake Bites from Sugar Aunts

Banana Coconut Smoothies from Peakle Pie

Banana Pudding Cookie Cups from Still Playing School

5 Minute Banana Ice Cream from Smiling like Sunshine

Rainbow Banana Pops from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dogs Tails

Patacones recipe to cook with kids

Author
Cerys Parker

Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, teacher, mum, and home educator from the UK. She loves getting creative, whether it is with simple and easy crafts and ideas, activities to make learning fun, or delicious recipes that you and your kids can cook together you'll find them all shared here on Rainy Day Mum.

4 Comments

  1. My kids loved these! Anything they can smash gets bonus points from the start 🙂

  2. Wow these are so fun! I was at a restaurant last weekend and my brother had some on his plate and we all tried them for the first time. What a great recipe for the kids!

  3. I came across this recipe feeling hungry and looking for a new type of quick and easy snack! These Patacones did not disappoint! As described, they were very simple to make and so darn delicious. I’ll probably cook up another batch tomorrow.

  4. These are yummy on their own but we really like them with guacamole. So fun to make with kids!

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