Cuban tostones are crispy, crunchy and absolutely addictive. Served with the garlic mojo sauce, they make a perfect snack or a great appetizer.
Tostones are double fried green plantains that are very popular and are a huge feature in Latin Caribbean cuisine. Fried plantains have different names (tostones, patacones, tajadas, mariquitas) and shapes depending on the country.
These crunchy slabs of fried plantains make a very addictive snack or an appetizer when served with a garlicky mojo sauce. This recipe is from Viva Vegan cookbook.
Ingredients
There is only ONE main ingredient in this recipe - Plantain. It is important to make sure that the plantain used is green and firm. Soft ones do not yield crispy and crunchy tostones, so best to avoid using those.
For the Garlic mojo sauce is a great accompaniment to tostones or to cooked yuca. As the name suggests, main ingredient for this is Garlic. Choose good quality olive oil to make this dip. Onion, ground cumin and lemon juice round up the flavors in this addictive dip.
Instructions
Plantains are chopped into thick slabs and fried until slightly tender. After cooling for couple of minutes, these are smushed/ crushed down to make a thinner piece. The second frying makes them extra crunchy and absolutely delicious.
There are many methods for crushing tostones for their second frying. The idea is to use a heavy, flat object to evenly apply enough pressure to the cooked plantain. This is only to flatten it, we do not want them to fall apart.
There's a special tool used in Latin kitchens called a tostonera that is designed just for the smashing purpose. But I used my handy-dandy poori press for that and it worked great for me.
Cuban Tostones with Garlic Mojo Sauce
Ingredients
For Tostones:
- 2 Green Plantains
- To taste Salt
For Mojo Sauce:
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 6 ~ 8 Garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Cumin
- ¼ cup Freshly squeezed Lime juice
- To taste Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make Cuban Tostones:
- Heat oil for deep frying.
- Peel the plantains and slice them at an angle into 1~1½” thick pieces.
- Gently slide into the hot oil and fry for 4~5 minutes, flipping once. Using a slotted spoon, remove the plantains from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain for about 2 minutes.
- When the fried slices are just cool enough to handle, about 2~3 minutes; gently but firmly flatten them to about ⅜” thick. I used my poori press to press the fried plantains, but a soup can, tortilla press or even a rolling pan will also work.
- Gently drop the flattened plantains back into the hot oil and fry for another 3~4 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp along the edges.
- Return to the paper to drain, sprinkle the hot tostones with salt, and serve immediately.
Make Mojo Sauce:
- In a large saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic, onion and bring to a gently simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat to low. Simmer for 12~14 minutes or until the garlic and onion are very soft and just starting to turn golden.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and ground cumin.
- Set aside for 2 minutes to cool slightly. Gently stir in the lime juice and ground pepper. Serve with tostones.
Notes
- Make sure the plantains used are firm.
- To crush/ smush tostones for their second frying - use a soup can, coffee can or a tortilla press. The idea is to apply even pressure on the cooked plantain that it flattens out but not so much that it falls apart.
- Once cooled, garlic sauce can be pureed with an immersion blender to make a smoother sauce for the tostones.
Nutrition
Taste Test:
Cuban Tostones are best when eaten hot. So serve them as soon as they are fried and seasoned. My whole family loved these crispy, crunchy and addictive. Serve them as is or with the garlic mojo sauce.
Linking to Valli’s BM# 110 and don’t forget to check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today.
More Cuban Dishes:
Few More Cuban dishes that you may want to try at home:
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Those plantains looks just perfect and I would just eat a whole batch by myself. The mojo sauce recipe is very new to me and I am looking forward to trying it.
amrita
It's good to know about a new dish from a different cuisine...you have nicely explained the steps..
Suma Gandlur
That is a classic combo. I thoroughly enjoyed tostones when I had made them.
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
This is such a wonderful treat Pavani, never seen before. That sauce is a highlight of this recipe. Lovely share.
Jayashree T.Rao
Such an interesting recipe, would love to try this when I get the plantains here. Loved it.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
Very interesting! I always thought plantains was only for Keralites till I started seeing so much of Latin American food based with this ingredient, especially on Mir's page. This snack looks super delicious and that dip sounds out of the world...
Harini Rupanagudi
Wow! That is such an interesting way to eat plantain. The dipping sauce sounds so unique and flavorful as well.
Srivalli Jetti
I made this and enjoyed it so much Pavani...would love to make it again..
Niti Sanghrajka
Super easy and delicious. The sauce is money!
Mike McNally
I use the base of my mortar (with the pestle waiting over on the counter) because it's flat and heavy.