Who doesn’t love plantain chips? Tostones require a little more effort to make than regular ol’ plantain chips, but they’re definitely worth it. For the uninitiated, tostones are twice-fried plantain chips that are a staple food in Latin American countries like Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
They are super addictive little treats that you can snack on or have as a side dish. They’re so good that they disappear in minutes after I make them. Most of the time they don’t even make it out of my kitchen. Also, you get to smash plantain into chips when you make tostones, which is a lot of fun.
How to Make Tostones (Twice-Fried Plantain Chips)
To make tostones, you’ll need 3 green plantains, 2 cups of vegetable oil (or enough for frying), 2 cups of cold water, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt (plus more to sprinkle on top).
Place one plantain on a cutting board and use a knife to peel the plantain; you can do this by cutting the ends of the plantain and then use the knife to slice through the peel lengthwise without cutting through the skin. Use your fingers to further open the peel and remove it from the plantain. Repeat this step with the remaining plantains. I find it easier to remove the peel from the plantain when the plantain isn’t cold (I store my plantains in the fridge), but at room temperature.
Once the plantains have been peeled, cut them into 1-inch chunks and wash them under running water. Pat the plantains dry with a paper towel and set aside on a plate. Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet or a wok with the stove at medium heat. Fry the plantains in the oil on both sides; about 3 minutes on each side or until the plantains are soft and slightly golden brown. Fry the plantains in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pot, which will lower the temperature of the oil.
Remove the plantains from the oil and place them on a clean cutting board. Place the bottom of a glass cup on top of one of the plantains and press down on the glass to smash/flatten the plantain into a flat disk. Repeat this step with the remaining plantains. Pour two cups of water into a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt to the water and mix until the salt dissolves in the water.
Dip each of the smashed plantains into the salted water. Shake off any excess water and put the plantains back into the hot oil, don’t get too close to the oil in case it splashes. Fry the plantain on each side for two minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately. Tostones are typically served with mojo verde. I didn’t have any on hand, so I used tomato salsa; it tasted really good. Enjoy!
Other Plantain Dishes That You Might Like
-
BBQ-Flavoured Baked Plantain Chips
-
Tatale (Ghanaian Savory Plantain Pancakes)
-
Brown Butter and Cardamom Plantain Bread
Tostones (Twice-Fried Plantain Chips)
Ingredients
- 3 green plantains
- 2 cups vegetable oil (or enough for frying)
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 tsp sea salt (plus more to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
- Place a plantain on a cutting board and use a knife to peel the plantain by cutting the ends of the plantain and then using the knife to slice through the peel lengthwise without cutting through the skin. Use your fingers to further open the peel and remove it from the plantain. Repeat this step with the remaining plantains.
- Cut each plantain into 1-inch chunks and wash them under running water. Pat the plantains dry with a paper towel and set them aside on a plate.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet or a wok with the stove at medium heat.
- Fry the plantains in batches in the oil on both sides; about 3 minutes on each side or until the plantains are softened and slightly golden brown.
- Remove the plantains from the oil and place them on a clean cutting board. Use the bottom of a glass cup to smash/flatten the plantain into a flat disk. Repeat this step with the remaining plantains.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of sea salt and two cups of water and mix until the salt dissolves in the water.
- Dip each flattened plantain into the salted water. Shake off any excess water and put the plantains back in the hot oil.
- Fry the plantains on each side for two minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.
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