These plantain balls, or plantain pilé, are a popular dish in Gabon. They can be served either plain or with sauce!
Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!
Why Make this Recipe
- “Travel” to Gabon: Experiencing a country through its food is a great way to get a “taste” of what life in that country is like… even if you’re not eating it in the country! These Banana Pilées give you a little glimpse into life in Gabon.
- Plantains: I LOVE cooking with plantains! There are so many delicious recipes you can make with plantains, and I love how the taste can change so drastically when you’re using ripe vs unripe plantains. This recipe is a great way to show you what a combo can do.
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
- Plantains: When picking out your plantains, make sure to choose 2 plantains that are green (unripe) and 2 that are yellow/brown color (ripe). Each have a very different flavor profile and you need a blend of each to get this recipe right.
- Salt
Tools
- Knife
- 2 medium pots
- Potato Masher
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Plantains
Peel the plantains and cut them into slices.
Heat up two pots of boiling water. In one pot, cook the green plantains until they are fork tender.
In the other pot, cook the yellow/brown plantains until they are fork tender.
Step 2: Form the Pilées
Put both kinds of plantain in a bowl together and mash until smooth. Add a pinch of salt.
Use your hands to form the mashed plantains into large balls. You can wet your hands with water to keep the mixture from sticking. Allow them to cool , then slice.
You can serve with sauces if desired. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- The two different plantains must be cooked in separate pots because they cook at different rates based on their level of ripeness
- For instructions on how to peel a plantain, check out this article on Tostones
- To cook the unripe plantains in the Instant Pot, peel them into 1-1.5 inch slices. Place them in the Instant Pot with 2 cups of water and secure the lid. Turn the cooking pressure to HIGH for 6 minutes. When the cook time has completed, perform a Quick Release.
Did you like this recipe for Plantain Balls from Gabon? If so, don’t forget to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Mangú from the Dominican Republic
- Plantain Chips from the Bahamas
- Red Beans and Plantains from Burundi
Plantain Balls (Plantain Pilées)
Equipment
- Knife
- 2 Medium Pots
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 2 green plantains
- 2 yellow/brown plantains
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Peel the plantains and cut them into slices.
- Heat up two pots of boiling water. In one pot, cook the green plantains until they are fork tender.
- In the other pot, cook the yellow/brown plantains until they are fork tender.
- Put both kinds of plantain in a bowl together and mash until smooth. Add a pinch of salt.
- Use your hands to form the mashed plantains into large balls. You can wet your hands with water to keep the mixture from sticking. Allow them to cool , then slice.
- You can serve with sauces if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Plantains: When picking out your plantains, make sure to choose 2 plantains that are green (unripe) and 2 that are yellow/brown color (ripe). Each have a very different flavor profile and you need a blend of each to get this recipe right.
- The two different plantains must be cooked in separate pots because they cook at different rates based on their level of ripeness
- For instructions on how to peel a plantain, check out this article on Tostones
- To cook the unripe plantains in the Instant Pot, peel them into 1-1.5 inch slices. Place them in the Instant Pot with 2 cups of water and secure the lid. Turn the cooking pressure to HIGH for 6 minutes. When the cook time has completed, perform a Quick Release.
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