Can you eat a plantain like a banana?

Can you eat a plantain like a banana?
Or do you have to cook it first?
And if you can eat it like a banana, then how can you tell if it's ripe?

Plantains are actually very similar to a banana, except they are less sweeter and I wouldn't suggest you eating it raw. you should definitely cook it. The ripe plantains are same as ripe bananas. The ones that have black splotches on them and yellow are the ripe ones. cut them up and cook with butter, and omg yum!

Ok, I would not suggest eating them like a banana because they are somewhat bitter and such... but I would suggest cooking them, first slice them up,put a little salt on them for taste, and then fry them in 1/2 inch of oil.. They are delicious, I eat them all the time, because Im from africa, and they are quite a delicacy, and popular in the islands too. :]

Many dishes are made with raw plantain. I don't like it much, too starchy.

Although traditionally plantain is prepared by cooking (boiling, frying, baking); actually you can eat plantain raw. You can slice it and dress with your favourite dressing, or season it and mix it with green/spring onions, sweet peppers etc. I like to eat it with cheese and hot pepper sauce on a green salad, or with walnut pate.

No reason you can't. I and people like myself have done it berfore. Personally think it tastes better cooked. But nothing wrong with eating it raw. It is a fruit.

yes but it is very hard I fry it in oil and put chocolate sauce heated up on it

You can eat anything raw (and people do). But traditionally plantains are cooked b/c they're plain not that sweet. If you want it raw you could probably mix it with something else as suggested for taste. I'd think as a starch it would make a good filler like bread, pasta or potatoes. Nice to have something else with it.