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How to Make Tostones (Twice Fried Plantains)

Here is a step by step guide on how to make Tostones, a staple side dish in most Puerto Rican homes.

To make tostones you need really green plantains / platanos.


First thing you need to do is peel the platanos. (I will be referring to plantains as platanos, the Spanish way of saying it because it's what I prefer ;) If you store your platanos in the fridge, make sure that you bring them to room temperature first. It's a pain to peel when it's cold.  Run the platanos under warm water to help speed up the process.


To peel the platano, first cut off the ends: 


Then slice down the center of the platano:

Remove the peel by pulling from the area you just sliced:


Umm, try not to slice as deep as I did...lol!

Next start heating your oil.  You want it on medim high or about 375 degrees.  You don't want to set it too low or the oil will not be hot enough and your platanos will just suck up the oil and be greasy.  You want it to be as hot as if you were frying french fries. 

Now that you platano is completely peeled, cut it in about 3/4 inch pieces:

Make sure oil is hot. You can do this by dropping a tiny piece of your platano in (crum size), if it sizzles, it's hot enough. Now fry your pieces for about 2 1/2 minutes - 3 minutes on each side.  They should be golden and sort of soft. If they're not soft enough, you will not be able to smash them or they will sort of smash and fall apart :(  If you smash and this happens, just returned them to the pan and cook for a bit longer. 



When you remove the platanos place them on a paper towel to drain any excess oil. Make sure to do the next step fairly quickly because the longer you take the harder it will be to smash.  However, take care to handle the platanos, as they will be pretty hot! *You can allow them to cool off for about a minute, but no longer or they will become hard to smash. Okay, now I am just being redundant!

Now smash the platanos.  
Almost every Puerto Rican owns a tostonera.  Which is what we use to smash the platanos. 
See pics below:

If you don't have a tostonera you can use two plates to smash the platanos into tostones.  
Tip:  If you cut the end of your bread bag (if long enough), you can use it to nestle the platanos, 
so that they don't stick to the plate. 

Okay, back to the tostones.  Smash all the platanos:



Now you are ready to refry them.  Fry for about another 2 - 3 minutes.  
They should be a deeper golden color. 
Drain once more on a paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt and enjoy!  Or you can make a mojito sauce to dip them in.  That'll be on another post - children are acting up. Geesh, it's no wonder I hardly blog :P 

Serve as an appetizer 

or as a side item in a meal - preferably a delish Puerto Rican meal :) 
(Arroz con gandules, Puerto Rican rotisserie chicken and tostones!)














Almost a Year

I cannot believe how time has flown by. This past year has been so memorable, yet a blur. Does that make sense? LOL. My little girl has brought so much joy and laughter to our home. We adore her and we are so blessed that she is in our lives. Yes, sleep deprivation still exists, but it's so worth it. Sometimes I feel like I want to pull my hair out, but once I look at that little innocent face, I melt. I can't believe that she will be a year old very shortly. I just want to hug her so tight and pray that the minutes tick by slowly.
Daisypath - Personal picture

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