Paisano: Curried Plantains

Once upon a time I was the lead singer in an Indonesian rock band in Cairo, Egypt. Bear with me, it's a bit complicated.

At the time my parents were teaching at the American University in Cairo and so my family lived there for nine months. While there, I attended the university as a freshman and, because at that time it was the best college in Egypt, it so also was attended by anyone who spoke English and could afford it. So most of the children of the embassy staffs attended it. This included the Indonesians of college age.

I'm not sure why, but the Indonesian Embassy decided to buy some instruments and effectively fund an Indonesian rock band. The members of the band, fellow students, asked me to be lead singer. So I became the American lead singer, of an Indonesian rock band, in Cairo, Egypt. We were absolutely the best Indonesian rock band in Egypt.

Every Friday (the Moslem holiday) I would take the train from Ma'adhi, the Cairo suburb where I lived, to Western Cairo where the Indonesian enclave was. We would spend the morning practicing, and then break for lunch at the Deputy Ambassador's residence (at least I think that's who he was (I was a 17 year old male, questions weren't really part of my makeup then). At any rate, including the band, some 20 of us sat down to eat at a huge table absolutely laden with food.

The food was extraordinarily good, but as I mentioned, questions weren't part of my makeup and I paid little attention except for one thing: At every meal there was a huge platter of what I thought at the time were spicy fried potatoes. I adored them and would eat a slice, drink a swallow of water to douse the flames, and eat another. Oddly, the potatoes were also slightly sweet.

Although I thought about those potatoes many times over the years, I couldn't figure out how to duplicate them until I was reading an article a few years back and realized they weren't potatoes. They were plantains.

These are a great snack or appetizer, or, as the Indonesians used them, a starchy side dish.

Curried Plantains
Serves 4 as a side dish

2 Tbsp. oil (canola, vegetable, or peanut)
2 lg. ripe plantains
2 Tbsp. hot curry powder
2 tsp. sugar
Pinch of salt

Slice plantains into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Peel. Combine curry powder, sugar, and salt and dust both sides of plantains.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the plantains until golden brown -- about 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

In an alternate life, the Paisano is Kevin Weeks: a Gather food correspondent, personal chef, cooking teacher, and writer in Knoxville, Tennessee who spends too many hours on his feet, cooking. "Paisano" the column focuses on peasant dishes from around the world, Paisano the character is fictional. To read more of Kevin's writings or connect to him click here.His blog,Seriously Good, is read by 75,000 cooks a month and in addition he writes a weekly column for  Spot-Onand is the Guide for Cooking for Two at About.com.