Tostones, or twice-fried plantains as some may know them, are the perfect crunch accompaniment to any latin or caribbean meal!
Twice-Fried
The key to a perfect tostone is the double-frying process. Like the perfect french fry, frying a plantain twice ensures that first, it is cooked through, and then, that the exterior is extra crispy!
Pick out green or barely yellow plantains for this dish. These are the most firm and hold up to the cooking process. They also have less sugar than yellow plantains, so they will not brown or burn as quickly.
When making tostones, you will start by cutting the plantains into large chunks and dropping them in hot oil. This heats them through and softens the otherwise firm fruit.
Next, you get to take out your aggression and mash them! I am lucky enough to have my handy Puerto Rico tostonera ready at any moment (shout out to Titi Gloria for that!). If these are something you plan on making a lot, I definitely suggest grabbing a tostonera of your own. Another option is pressing down with a small saucepot, but I like a tostonera because the circular imprint keeps the plantain round.
After you have smashed the once-cooked plantains, drop them right back in the oil! At this point the plantains are cooked, but this second trip to the hot oil jacuzzi will give them the nice crisp on the outside you are looking for! Salt them right and you are all set!
Easy as 1, 2, 3!
Just 3 ingredients to the perfect latin side dish and snack!
- Green Plantains
- Oil
- Salt
It’s as simple as that!
What do I serve tostones with?
- As an appetizer
- As a side dish
- With spicy mayo
- With guacamole
- Topped with mango salsa
- With Mojo Chicken
- With Caribbean Fish
Or, in my house, a batch of tostones get eaten just as a snack! Pull out a small bowl of Peruvian Aji Verde sauce to dip them in, and they will be gone in an hour!
However you serve them, make a double batch, because they will go quick!
Tostones
Ingredients
- 3 plantains
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with about 1-1½ inches of vegetable or canola oil (about 350°)
- Peel the plantains by taking a knife and making a slit from the top to the bottom of a plantain. Pull the skin away from the flesh with your fingers, using a knife to cut any tough parts if necessary.
- Slice the peeled plantains into one-inch chunks
- Place the chunks flat side down in the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until they develop a light gold color. Flip to the other flat side and repeat.
- Remove the plantains from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
- Immediately smash plantains by placing them flat side down on the counter and pressing down with a small sauce pan, or use a wooden tostone press
- Place flattened plantains back into the hot oil and fry for another 2-3 minutes
- Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Salt immediately and serve
