Plantains with Cheese - Bolo de verde

I love plantains! My absolute favorite is when they are simply sauteed with spices, but I have also baked them in savoury pies. When I was in Ecuador in 2005, our first breakfast at Guayaquil was a plantain and cheese ball. I can't remember the sauce it was served with, but the taste was so good in a dish with just three ingredients - plantains, cheese and salt! My first attempt in recreating this dish was not a good one, as the plantain had ripened a bit and the taste was less than delicious. I made another attempt on Labor day, this time after a little bit of research. The outcome was so yummy, and is wonderful as a side dish. I am also thinking it would make a great appetizer.

I boiled the plantains, and along with fresh mozzarella cheese grated them in the food processor. To this mixture I added a little bit more salt, some green chili powder and my mom's milagai podi (a blend of red chilies with more toasted lentils and spices). After this Shankar took over, and made the mixture into small cutlets and baked them for about 20 minutes in a 400F oven. Next time, I am going to pan fry them before serving, instead of baking and thinking a lemony aioli would be perfect for dipping.