Plantain flour

Last Updated on August 31, 2019

Learn how to make this simple plantain flour recipe that’s completely gluten free, paleo friendly and grain free for all your culinary needs.

One of the many joys of being a food blogger is exploring so many different recipes. Including how to make plantain flour from scratch. In case you didn’t know it’s free from any additives, preservative and suitable for most dietary types. Who wouldn’t want to introduce such a diverse grain free flour to there current lifestyle?

What is a green plantain?

Plantain is a member of the banana family, but it is not the same at all. In fact, plantain is considered a vegetable not a fruit despite growing on a tree.

While bananas tend to be small in size,  green plantains are relatively large, savoury, bright green with a thick skin, starch enriched and less sweet. As it ripens the colour transitions from green to yellow to an almost black hue when it’s overripe.

In Caribbean, Africa and Latin America, green plantain is a staple food, similar to how potatoes are highly regarded in the west. Green plantain isn’t typically eaten raw, rather it is cooked  i.e boiled, roasted, baked, fried or mashed to make mangu.

How to make green plantain flour

With so many people leading a more grain/gluten free lifestyle because they are intolerant to gluten (wheat protein). While others such as the paleo crew are in search of new flours that omit the use of conventional flour.

Green plantain flour is a great wheat free alternative and very simple to make using a dehydrator and spice grinder or if you have dry container for a ninja/vitamix then you can mill the pieces of plantain in that.

The plantains – in order to make plantain flour, you’re going to need a few plantains. My recipe was made with 4 plantains in total which yields the amount of a standard mason jar.

Peel and slice – cut the ends off each plantain first and foremost. Then remove the exterior, you may need to score the skin with a knife in order to take it off with ease. Once the peel is removed then slice the plantains about 1” thick per disc

The dehydrator – place the plantain pieces evenly on the dehydrator trays and spread them out. Set your machine to 70c (158F) and the timer for 12 hours.

Grounding the plantain into flour – after 12 hours the plantain should be bone dry, that’s when you know it’s ready to be milled. Ground the pieces using a spice grinder/food processor or dry container.

Baking or cooking with plantain flour

Green plantain flour can be used as a direct substitute for conventional flour. Although it has a subtle hint of bitterness to it so it might be wise to blend it with another flour.

This flour is quite costly in supermarkets so making it yourself is great if you want to save your some money.

Where to purchase green plantain

Many African/Caribbean or Latino supermarket should have them. Do make sure you are buying plantain which is quite large and not green banana. If in doubt, always ask first!!

Plantain flour uses

• Cookies
• Pie crust
• Pasta
• Bread
• Pancakes
• Waffles
• For more plantain recipes click here

Plantain flour health benefits 

• Low in fat and protein
• Pure carbohydrate meaning it is macro nutrient dense
• High in potassium
• Great source of fibre
• GI of 38
• High in resistant starch

How to make plantain flour (step by step pictures)

Cut the ends of each plantain, remove the peel and slice the plantains into small sized discs.

Place the sliced plantain on the dehydrator tray and spread them out evenly. Then set the timer on the dehydrator for 12 hours and temperate to 70c (158f)

After 12 hours the plantains should be bone dry (as pictured) then ground (using a food processor/grinder) into a fine consistency

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