Mashed green plantain
bananas or majado de verde, how it is called in Ecuador, is a dish made by
boiling green plantains, mashing them and then mixing them with onions, garlic
and achiote or annatto.
This is one of my
favorite dishes in Ecuador and it is very simple to make.
I can promise that
with very little preparation you will have an absolutely yummylicious dish
ready.
And depending on the
sides, it can be completely vegan or not.
Majado de verde is a
very popular breakfast and brunch dish; though I love it for lunch or even
dinner.
 |
| Cooking the green plantain. |
It is more common to
find this majado or green plantain mash in the coastal areas of Ecuador; but it
is also popular in the Highlands or Sierra and Ecuador’s Amazonic area.
While majado is
usually made with green plantains, it can also be made with green bananas.
Majado de verde is
usually served with a fried egg and a slice of queso fresco.
I also like to add
some diced avocado or avocado slices, as well as some freshly made aji criollo
or hot sauce.
 |
| Preparing the condiments, or el refrito. |
As a breakfast dish,
black coffee and fresh fruit juice are also a must.
Since this majado was
made for lunch, I served it with a pollo al jugo, or chicken stew and a glass of
homemade lemonade.
In the coastal area
you can get the most delicious majado with fish stew.
If you are ever in
Ecuador, I recommend you try it.
This is a dish that every Ecuadorian loves.
 |
| This is how you mash the plantain in Ecuador. |
They might eat it with eggs, with cheese, with fish,
with shrimps, or just with the hot sauce, but they will eat it.
And when they are not in Ecuador, they will talk about
eating it in their favorite way.
There are heated discussions on which is the
ultimately correct way to make majado, or how it should be called.
But one thing is for sure, you have not really been in
Ecuador if you haven’t tried majado yet.
The quantities in
this recipe are for 4 people.
Majado de verde or mashed green plantains
Ingredients
- 3-4 green plantains, peeled and cut in rounds (each plantain can be cut into 3-4 pieces)
- 1-2 tbs butter or oil, I use canola oil myself
- 1 white onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- Fresh coriander leaves
- ½ tsp achiote powder or ground annatto
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the plantains for 30 minutes or until soft.
- Mash the plantains using a fork or potato masher. The consistency should have some small chunks, if it’s too smooth it will stick together.
- Prepare the condiments by heating the butter or oil over medium low heat, add the diced onion, crushed garlic, fresh coriander leaves, achiote or annatto, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the mashed plantains to the refrito and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add additional salt/pepper if needed.
- Serve
immediately with your preference on the side.
