Tostones: Cuban Fried Plantains!
I make these fried delights in the Cuban style, but the formula is similar throughout the Caribbean.
Warning: you will be twice frying a starchy vegetable, then salting it. It isn’t health food.
Ingredients:
- unripened plantains [cooking bananas], as green as possible. 
- cooking oil [I use olive and canola oil for taste, but use what you prefer]
- salt
You begin by peeling off the skin – its tough, and usually requires a knife. Cut the fruit into slices roughly an inch thick, and
place the slices either in a deep fryer 
, or a heated frying pan with oil approximately 1/4 of an inch deep. 
Fry them until brown on both sides, then drain on paper towels. 
When the fried slices are cool enough to handle they must be mashed flat.
I use a hinged hard wood masher from the Dominican Republic, but any tool you have at hand will do - I’ve used coffee mug bottoms.
Place the mashed slices in your oil and fry, taking care to avoid burning [or setting off smoke alarms]. When the mashed slices are crispy remove them from heat, drain on paper towels, and salt to taste.
Best served warm.
Tostones were made for the #SabrosoSaturday blog hop hosted by @MsLatina.
Popularity: 30% [?]
I have to admit I love plaintains but I bake them now. I also do the lazy style, cutting them very thin instead of mashing them!
Thanks for linky up your recipe!
Coffee mug plantain smasher here! *raises hand*
I love this easy recipe you posted. I want some platanos now!! Wahh!
Rachel
Everytime I peel the skin off a plantain, its like I go in a time machine back in time, to the days where our ancestors did the same… probably the same exact way.
Rachel
I admit it, I have the plantain masher that mashes the small pieces into perfect tostones.. YUM. I’m getting hungry now. LOL
Tostones…the perfect side dish or in my case a whole meal!
Love them!
I love platains pero maduros. But I have to admit I will eat tostones with beans
Que rico! me hearts tostones con chicharron