How to cook low-fat sweet plantains

Everything you'll need except the tongs.

The plantain won't be sweet unless the skin is almost black. If it isn't really dark, the fruit will cook and taste more like a potato.

You can ripen the fruit by sticking it in a paper bag.

Then stick it somewhere you'll forget it.

To peel the plantain, cut off the ends...

Slit the skin...

And peel it off of the fruit.

Slice the peeled plantain at an angles so it will be easier to grab with the tongs.

Spray a non stick pan with the cooking oil.

Turn the heat on medium heat. Place the sliced plantain pieces on the pan starting on the outside and working in toward the middle where the heat is to prevent the first pieces from burning.

Cover with a lid to help cooking process.

Flip when the fruit starts to brown.

You can tell whether or not the plantain will be sweet by how it looks when it cooks. If the fruit is soft and almost translucent it will be sweet. If it is opaque and firm it will be potato-y.

Place the cooked plantain slices on a paper plate. They will probably stain a regular plate. Not stained permanently, but enough to require scrubbing.

At this point, I like to sprinkle with just enough salt to make the sweetness pop.

Nothing left to do but eat!