Abuelitas Tostones De Plátano Fried Plantains Food

CRISPY PUERTO RICAN-STYLE TOSTONES

Steps:

• Start by peeling your plantains and cutting into 1 inch sections. Preheat your oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, gently add in your plantain chunks, making sure not to crown the pan too much. Your pan should have enough oil to almost cover the slices, so add more if needed. Fry the slices for 8-10 minutes, making sure to flip them until golden brown all around.
• Remove the slices and cool on a paper towel lined plate. Once the slices are cool, use a plate to smash the slices until they flatten just slightly. Make sure to not smash them too thin or they will break apart on the second fry.
• In a large bowl combine the water, lime juice, salt and adobo seasoning (optional). Gently add in the fried plantains and soak for 4-5 minutes before draining the water and patting dry with paper towels.
• Bring the oil back to high heat and add the smashed plantains back to the oil, frying for another 5 minutes or until crispy. Top with a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lime juice and enjoy!

ABUELITA'S TOSTONES DE PLáTANO (FRIED PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Peel plantains and cut into diagonal slices 1-inch thick. Add garlic cloves and salt to 4 cups water in a large bowl. Soak the plantain slices for 15 minutes. Heat oil to 350° for deep frying.
• Drain the plantain slices well and and deep fry about 7 minutes. Do this in small batches so oil does not lose its heat. Drain plantains on absorbent paper.
• Place more paper over top of fried plantains and pound each one flat with the palm of your hand. Dip them quickly in and out of the salted water again and drain thoroughly on absorbent paper. Raise oil temperature to 375°.
• Deep fry the plantains until crisp and golden. Remove and drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with Mojito sauce or salsa. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/sauce-spread-dip/puerto-rican-mojito-sauce.html

FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS (TOSTONES DE PLATANO VERDE)

Steps:

• Preheat oil in a fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees F.
• Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place into preheated oil and fry for 5 minutes or until they begin to brown. Drain them on a paper-towel lines plate. Flatten them using a Tostonera or the bottom of a metal can and fry again at 385 degrees F for approximately 3 minutes. Drain again and sprinkle with salt and Garlic Mojo. For softer fried plantains, soak for a few minutes in salted water after the first fry, drain and fry again.
• Chop up the garlic very thinly or crush using a mortar and pestle or food processor with the salt to form a thick paste. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic paste and juice, and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer.

TOSTONES

Steps:

• Trim and discard the ends of the plantains. Use a paring knife to cut a slit along the length of the plantain to easily remove the peel, carefully avoiding cutting into the flesh. If the peel is too firm, use a spoon to lift the edges, then discard the peel. Slice the plantain crosswise into 1-inch rounds (about 8 pieces per plantain).
• In a large skillet, heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, add the plantains, flat-side down. Fry until beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute per side.
• While keeping the heat on, transfer plantains to a cutting board. Working with one piece at a time, use a tostonera or large flat-bottomed cup to gently press each plantain to about 1/2-inch thick. (If using a cup, keep it as centered as possible to flatten the plantains evenly.)
• Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, pan-fry the flattened plantains until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer tostones to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While hot, season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.