Fritay

Twenty-one years ago I went to Haiti for the first time by myself. I remember my mom's reaction. She was proud and nervous about it at the same time. I can't speak for her, but I think she was proud because despite the negative stigmas and insecurity that Haiti had at the time, her firstborn still believed there was something good to find there. Nervous, because, one she is a mother, they always worry when you are away from them and two, would her American daughter be prepared to navigate in a country where things didn’t operate within the norms of her American life. Her first act of protectionism was to instruct Tati not to let me partake in any consumption of any fritay during my visit!

Fritay, pronounced {free-tie}, is the Kreyol term for fried foods usually sold by street vendors in the country's numerous bustling neighborhoods and roadways. My mother's reasoning was based on the notion that if you were not born in Haiti you had not been inoculated against the various food borne illness that could affect you from consuming street foods. She worried more that I could become afflicted with diarrhea or even worse food poisoning because my stomach had not been baptized by the fire of re-used oils ,exposure to the elements of the outdoors, basically any health inspectors worst nightmare. She was right, I was a virgin to Haitian street food, but to my credit I had eaten an Italian sausage from a street vendor in New York City and I survived, so I think I had nothing to lose with a Haitian street vendor.

Upon my arrival, Tati was very creative in finding ways to disregard my multiple request for fritay. After my fourth request I caught on. One day a friend of the family, Florence, offered to take me out to purchase some souvenirs , and that was the moment I saw my opportunity.

We rode up the hill to Petionville under the premise of seeking out souvenirs and then I hit her with the "Im so hungry!” line. I asked her to stop at one of the street vendors so I could get something to eat. She was reluctant, but I had leverage. I had been helping her with some English translations and I also indulged her curiosity about life in the United States. She told me she had been specifically instructed not to let me eat on the street, but insisted that if I must , at least let her take me to a vendor she knew and trusted. No brainer, I agreed.

When we arrived at her "trusted" vendor I observed the griot,( deep fried pork) the banane pezè( fried plantains), the bouden (blood sausage) and the fried lam veritab ( fried breadfruit)in front of me. All of them laid out on the vendors aluminum platter for ones hungry eyes to see. I couldn’t help thinking “I’ve arrived”. I told her to order one of everything. I could hear her telling the vendor in Kreyol that I was an American and to make sure she gave me the best pieces. All in all, I enjoyed my fritay, in its greasy brown paper bag. And the best part, I didn’t get sick. I proved to my mom that her little American was tough enough for the street foods of Haiti.

Fast forward 2015 , my parents and three of my children; are in the car on our way to visit a popular spot in Haiti and on the road my then eleven year old daughter says “Grandma, can we get some griot and banane pezè from one of these people like we did last time?”. In my mind I’m like “Whaaaaaat???”( Kevin Hart voice) The last time? When?,Where?How? All the protectionist instincts my mother had about my first visit to Haiti flooded my mind. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter had already been inoculated to Haitian street food on her prior visit to Haiti right under my nose. Here I was thinking, my little American would never indulge in such things because I never so much as let her enjoy a corn dog at the carnival but I guess karma is a clever thing. As we stopped at a vendor, I proudly watched from the back seat of the car, my daughter standing with her grandma picking out the pieces of griot and banane pezè she wanted. My little American survived and enjoyed her fritay, just like I had so many years before her.

So today , in honor of Mardi gras, the last day of Kanaval in Haiti, a day that is the street vendors black Friday, I will share with you the pretty easy recipe for banane pezè. If you have had any Caribbean or latin American food you’ve probably heard them also referred to as Tostones. When served fresh and hot, you almost can never have just one, you were warned!

RECIPE

Banane Pezè

3 Green Plaintains cut into 11/2 inch disc

1 cup of Vegetable oil 1-11/2 Tsp salt

2 cups of Water

*You will need a tostonera or something to flatten the plantain with. If you don't have one use two saucers or save the plantain peel and place disc in between to press as flat as you want.

Heat Oil in shallow fryer on medium

Peel green plantains.

Cut plantain into 1 ½ inch pieces.

When oil is hot,place plantain in pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side,it should be fork tender. While plantain is frying add salt to your water in a separate bowl and set aside for later.

Remove from pan and drain on a plate covered with napkin.

Using a tostonera, place plantain in between open plate and flatten until you get a flattened oval disc.

Dip disc swiftly in the salt water solution

Reduce heat to low and return the flattened disc to frying pan for a bout a minute for both sides or until disc is golden brown. Be careful,for when plantain hits hot oil it may splatter so use a splatter screen and caution while refrying.

Remove cooked disc from pan,drain and serve. I like to garnish with chopped fresh parsley. It is also customary to serve with pikliz,a pickled concoction of shredded cabbage,scotch bonnet pepper and shredded carrots. Thats for another post though,😉.Enjoy