My Bengali mother always fed us plantain dishes to help us recover from any and all illnesses, be it the common cold or a broken foot. Her mantra was that full-of-nutrition plantains helped strengthen the body. Usually she served us a mild fish and plantain curry over steamed rice, but sometimes she would make these amazing plantain cakes—soft and spicy inside, crisp and golden outside. <br /> <br />Now that I have my own kitchen, I adapted these childhood favorites to suit my taste and health needs. Instead of deep-frying, I pan-fry. I cut the amount of hot peppers, and increased the herbs for flavor. I recently cooked up a batch for a family gathering and my Mom not only complimented me, but took seconds. <br /> <br />Sometimes I roll them into balls and serve them as vegetarian “meatballs." Other times I flatten them into cakes. Served with Asian sweet chili sauce, tamarind chutney, ketchup or a yogurt sauce, they’re addictive.

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