Plantains, native to Southeast Asia, were introduced to the Caribbean in the early 16th century. They made their way along trade routes to Africa and were brought to the Caribbean by the Spanish and African slave traders. They quickly adapted to the region’s tropical environment and rapidly dispersed throughout Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, quickly becoming a staple in the diet.
Tostones are a famous side dish in many Latin American countries, but the very first country of origin is hard to determine; this recipe is believed to be originated from the Dominican Republic. Some say that the name Tostones comes from the word Tostón, which was the name of the Spanish currency used during the colonial period; others claim that the name comes from the Spanish verb tostar, which means “to toast”; but in other Latin American countries they are named different, for instance, in places like Costa Rica, they are known as patacones. In Puerto Rico, we eat them anytime, anywhere, with whatever. Tostones make a great appetizer but also a delicious side dish. It pairs great with fish, skewers, crab, chicken, soup, pork, rice with beans, or maybe just some mojo, really anything.
This recipe is easy to make, you just have to double fry the plantain, but there are two ways for making tostones; you can fry the plantain, smash it and fry them again; or you can fry the plantain and give them a quick dunk in a savory water preparation and fry them again. Using the water method makes them more flavorful and helps them crisp a little bit more. Using a tostonera is somewhat easier, but you can use any heavy utensil you can press them with; just cover it with aluminum foil, so it doesn’t stick when you press it. If you want to try infused tostones, you can sautee them in infused butter and garlic to make tostones al ajillo, or you can make a mojo using infused oil; for one cup of sauce I would use 1/2 tsp of infused oil. Either way, you prefer to make them; they are easy to make, crunchy, delicious, and addictive!
Ingredients:
Green plantains
Oil
Salt
Optional:
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Water
Method:
Peel the plantains and cut them into 1-inch thick slices. You can cut diagonally or straight; when cut diagonally, they come out a little larger when flattened.
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil and fry the plantains for a few minutes until they turn golden but are not cooked all the way through.
Take the plantains out of the oil and let sit for a minute; if you press them right away, they can stick to the surface and ruin the preparation.
Prep the salty water mixture with the seasoning to taste.
After the first fry, flatten the plantains using a tostonera to about ¼”. I don’t recommend flattening them paper-thin because they can break when you fry them if you haven’t mastered the trick yet, but you can always try it and see what you prefer.
If using the salty water method: Quickly dip the tostones in the salted water and fry them again. Make sure to get all the excess water out because the oil will splatter all over when you fry them if it has too much water.
Fry the plantains again until an evenly golden yellow on both sides. They turn a brighter yellow when completely done, and they tend to look paler when undone.
Sprinkle salt on the fried plantains and serve immediately.
