Tostones

Tostones (Dominican Fried Green Plantains)

Twice-fried green plantain rounds with crisp edges and a tender middle, salted hot and served with a garlicky dipping sauce.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •3 whole green plantains, hard, fully green, unripe; yellow or soft plantains will not work
• •750 ml (3 cups) neutral frying oil, canola, corn, or sunflower; enough for 2–3 cm (about 1 inch) depth in the pan
• •8 g (1½ tsp) fine salt, plus more to taste
• •2 whole garlic cloves, for the dipping sauce; peeled
• •120 ml (½ cup) mayonnaise, for the garlic sauce; or use 120 ml / ½ cup sour cream
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice, fresh, for the sauce
• •1 g (¼ tsp) salt, for the sauce, or to taste

Steps

1. 1 Make the garlic sauce first so it can sit: crush the 2 peeled garlic cloves with the 1 g (¼ tsp) salt into a paste, then stir into the 120 ml (½ cup) mayonnaise and 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice. Refrigerate until serving.
2. 2 Cut the ends off each green plantain. Score the skin lengthwise through to the flesh in 3 or 4 lines, then pry the peel off with your thumb or a knife. Green plantains grip tightly; if it resists, soak the scored plantain in hot tap water for 2 minutes and try again.
3. 3 Cut the peeled plantains crosswise into rounds 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Keep them in a bowl of cold water until frying to stop them browning.
4. 4 Heat the 750 ml (3 cups) oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175°C / 350°F. Use a thermometer; if you have none, a cube of bread should brown in about 60 seconds. Never fill the pan more than one-third full, and never leave hot oil unattended.
5. 5 Drain and pat the plantain rounds completely dry. Fry in batches without crowding for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until pale gold and just tender when pierced with a knife. They should not brown deeply at this stage. Lift out onto a rack or paper towels. Let them cool 2–3 minutes - hot plantains tear when flattened.
6. 6 Flatten each round to about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Use the flat bottom of a glass, a small pan, or a tostonera, pressing straight down. If a round cracks, press it back together; the second fry will seal it.
7. 7 Return the oil to 190°C / 375°F. Fry the flattened rounds again in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp at the edges. They should sound hard when tapped with tongs.
8. 8 Lift out, drain briefly, and salt immediately while hot, tossing with the 8 g (1½ tsp) fine salt. Serve at once with the garlic sauce - they soften as they cool.