TOSTONES are FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS, the preferred side dish in many Latin American kitchens. This is how I most like to eat the plantains. They can be served at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a very popular fritter served with the "comida" at noon and for dinner.
Strangely enough, it is also sold for breakfast with fried salami or even fried chicken in the popular business called "cafeterias". I know you may be wondering, fried chicken and plantains for breakfast? Some Dominicans love this, but only if there is no mangú - mashed boiled green plantains.
About MANGU, I will write another day because I believe a separate post would be more appropriate since it is one of the dishes that represent Dominican cuisine, just like the MOFONGO is to Puerto Ricans. These recipes are cooked and very much loved in BOTH countries.
Although it is simple to make, I must confess that when I got married, I did not know how to cook tostones. If you don't know the correct steps, your results can be a total failure. They can come out very hard, too greasy, or even raw. All of these mentioned happened to me. Therefore, if my advice helps you achieve great, crispy, and well-done fried plantains, then I'll be very happy and could go BAKE in peace.
To my sweet little ones at home and the apprentices who follow this blog, you will no longer have excuses for not knowing how to make these. The steps are VERY EASY; the most difficult part is to peel the plantain, but I still guarantee you could make these... it is a piece of cake, TRUST ME!!
Many people add water with garlic, but I don't because I find this makes them soggy. At home we like them to be a little crispy not oily. My daughters love them with ketchup, and I am almost sure that in many of your homes is the same.
Tostones, Fried Greens Plantains or Patacones
The preferred side dish in many Latin American kitchens.
Ingredients:
Green Plantains (one plantain yields 5-6 tostones)
enough oil for deep frying
salt
Instructions:
1. Peel and cut the plantains into one-inch slices, which can be diagonal or straight.
2. First Fry: Fry the pieces in a frying pan with enough oil to cover the one-inch chunks, about 1½ -2 inches deep. The oil must be hot (350˚F); otherwise, the tostones may come out greasy. Fry until they start to turn golden in color. Drain them in a mesh basket or on a paper towel.
3. After a minute or two, not more, flatten the pieces with a tostonera. If you don't have one at hand, a wide cup or plate will do, but I do recommend getting a plantain press (tostonera).
4. Second Fry: (To be done right before serving because they will harden as they cool) Return the flattened plantains to the hot oil until they reach a golden color and are fully cooked. Remove them from the oil and drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. To enhance the taste, you can use garlic salt instead of regular salt or sprinkle them with garlic powder and salt.
Yield: 4-6 servings.
Speaking of patacones, here is an old-time video of, Johnny Ventura, one of the best merengue artist, Enjoy!
I take this opportunity to give you a peek of our banana plantation, this is what surrounds my entire house. The yellow- greenish tree trunks are the bananas (the ones we eat raw as dessert) and the ones with reddish trunks are the plantains (the cooking ones).
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. - Acts 4:12
Text and Photos © Mari's Cakes 
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