Fried Sweet Plantains

Have mercy! I am in love with practically all things plantains! Tostones, mofongo, maduros, you name it. Heck, even a raw black plantain makes my heart sing. But one of my favorite treats is frying up some sweet plantains. Once they've turned yellow or black, slice those puppies up and toss them in a skillet. Try experimenting with additional flavors like cinnamon too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 or 2 yellow to black plantains, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
1 tablespoon oil
optional: sugar or brown sugar for extra caramelization

Directions

1. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. If using sugar, toss sliced plantains in sugar then place in pan.
2. Fry until plantains begin to turn golden brown, then flip. It should be about 2 minutes per side.
3. Drain plantains on a paper towel before serving.

Japanese Umeboshi Rice Balls

Japanese Umeboshi (pickled plum) is a great salty, flavorful snack when paired with something more plain like rice. These are really simple, and so much fun to make. I can just imagine getting the kids involved and everyone getting their hands a little messy and having a great time.

They're perfect for on-the-go snacks, and you can fill them with whatever you want, really. Have fun with it. Enjoy!

Yields 4-8 rice balls

Ingredients

1 cup cooked white rice, cooled or mostly cooled
4-8 umeboshi (pickled plum), de-seeded
4-8 strips of dried seaweed
water for dipping your hands

Directions

1. Take 1/8 to 1/4 cup of rice, and starting forming it into a "ball." This is really more of a triangle shape traditionally, but make it however you want.

2. Pack around one umeboshi. Be sure to take the seed out first!

3. Fold the strip of dried seaweed on at the bottom for easy handling later. Use water if needed to help it stick.