Tostones Recipe with Garlic Sauce
Introduction
Have you ever mistakenly thought green or black plantains at the grocery store were bananas? Plantains are different from a banana, although they’re in the same family and have their unique taste and texture. The green ones are harder and more starchy, similar to a potato not soft and sweet like a banana. Simple plantains are huge in Latin American cookery and they form the base for these easy Puerto Rican Tostones.
A Tasty Snack with a Twist
This recipe comes from the brilliant mind of Miriam Hahn, a creative recipe developer and when I first heard about it, my initial reaction was… what in the?! These tostones are a fun and crunchy snack that unites various cultures and tastes. They kind of remind me of the smashed potato craze that has been trending all over social media lately.
I love these kinds of recipes especially when it comes to fresh produce and not sticking to the same 3 basic ingredients in my diet. Tostones are not only incredibly delicious but also provide some of the highest fiber and resistant starch levels in a snack or side dish filling it with an impressive nutrient profile.
They are served with a tasty garlic sauce that really brings everything together and kicks the flavor up a notch. This one is oddly pretty healthy with however something as starchy as tostones could be this good for you, but the crispy, golden tostones play perfectly off of the savory garlic. This icing is simple and great for feeding a crowd. This is Latin American cooking — old favorites and new flavors from a new wave that slams Caribbean food into Asian fusion, Peruvian with kicks of Korean, tapas with Vietnamese influence… even Italian!
What are they? So why do you cook Puerto Rican food?
And naturally flavored using the garlic infused water to double fry plantains and Tostones from there. If you’ve ever hit up TJs for potato oles then think of these as 100000x more delicious, crispy +garlicky. I grew up in a small town in Minnesota and, while Taco John’s was my crunchy-snack lifesource from the age of five (Potato Olés 4 LIFE), discovering tostones has been an amazing revelation.
This is pretty good, but they were inspired by a dinner with me and my friends Bjork, Bjorn & Maureen to take on Puerto Rican dos. Maureen, a Puerto Rican chef made an epic meal: my first tostones along with chicken and rice and beans. Metí fijamente la vista mientras sumergía las patacones en el agua con ajo y luego los freír hasta que queden dorados por ambos lados. We discussed life, and I marveled at how that crispy chewiness paired oh so well with my addictive salty palate. I was so hooked on the first visit that it didn’t take long before I tried recreating the recipe for myself at home and sharing it with others.
In my family, these tostones quickly turned into the favorite snack of the house with their unique flavour and delightful texture. Fried plantains, dipped in a delicious garlic sauce are simple to fix up and so very satisfying. Between the crispy plantains and the deep garlic flavor, this is a snack that I can eat too much of—just like you will.
Slightly concerning due to WHAT ARE PLANTAINS?
You might still be wondering, what the heck are plantains? While these might appear to be just oversized, greenish bananas, they are far from it. Bananas are sweet and can be taken as they are but plantains are starchy so basically not meant to be eaten raw. They are like a not sweet version of the banana. They’re magical when fried — browned to a perfect golden hue on the outside and just slightly crunchy, making for an ideal post-fry sea salt situation. Believe me when I say, just thinking about it now is making my mouth water.
Plantains can be purchased at three different stages, green, yellow or black. We used the greener plantains in this recipe because they have less sugar and are more starchy which means they hold together better when soaked in garlic water. This allows them to soak up all the tasty flavors before being fried until golden brown and crispy. I explored their versatility in Puerto Rico where I got to spend five days feasting on plantains. A staple of Puerto Rican cuisine, and now, one of my favorite things to cook at home.
The real Puerto Rican deal?
There are three stages of plantains: green, yellow and black. Nutrition: Nutritional data is purely an estimate but we used non-ripe plantains in this recipe because they have less sugar are more starchy which helps to keep their shape when soaking up garlic water. And it has these little nooks around the sides that allows the beignets to really absorb and soak up all the delicious flavors before being fried until golden crisp.
Also, I learned first hand how versatile these plantains can be in Puerto Rico where we took a trip for five days and plated them up. A Puerto Rican traditional dish or now one of my favorite home-cooked meals.Although the main recipe for tostones is always the same, some differences exist per taste or according to each country’s way of doing them.
Others may jazz it up a bit with spices or dipping sauces. But the basic premise of green plantain planks deep-fried until crisp is traditional. And that perspective was brought home to me when I observed a friend from Puerto Rico do her work with some plantains. When it comes down to it, that’s really all there is to real cooking; care and love.
Which means, as you are enjoying a plate of tostones in a restaurant or making them at home, you know exactly the taste is going down your mouth, pure Puerto Rico. It’s comfort food that resembles a love language both through its ingredients and in the way people come together around it. It only takes one bite of tostones with garlic sauce, and you will know why they have become a classic go-to recipe in countless homes.
How do you make Tostones Recipe with Garlic Sauce?
They are super easy and fun to make! You only need a few simple ingredients: Green Plantains Garlic Oil for frying It is so easy and all boils down to few steps. Begin by cutting the plantains into round thick slices. Then parboil in hot oil a little to brown them well and not exactly fried. This was the initial fry to soften them up. After fried, flattened each one of them. This part I dis and place on a plate or flat surface. It’s so nice to watch them change! This is the best part — get those flattened plantains soaking in a garlic bath. That taste is then soaked in, which results in the delicious parts.
And then deep fry in hot oil to golden brown. They are perfectly crunchy from 2 separate frying and you will adore it. Just imagine the smells wafting through your kitchen! The first time I made tostones at home, I was floored with how easy it is to put together this satisfying snack. It gives your mouth a light crisp and garlic-flavored flavor. Afraid your family will want them as a side dish with every meal or snack on them all day — yup-yup; think again!
But when would i make this and what to eat it with???
They are perfect for when you want something delicious and fun that doesn’t seem like the same old meal — tostones with a side of garlic sauce. So whether you have a quiet Friday night in to yourself or are planning on cooking for your family at friends, give this dish a try! Imagine being in your slippers, listening to something comfy and savouring some crispy golden plantains. Serve these delightful tostones with rice and pinto beans, or as a snack on their own.
Try to picture yourself with a fresh plate of hot, golden-brown tostones, taking bites of the crispy saltiness and enjoying it next to a good plate of rice (arroz & habichuelas). It elevates any meal. Besides, I bet you can not eat them just one time. From a typical cozy night in to celebratory gatherings, this recipe for Tostones is all you need to add that little Puerto Rican touch at the table. They can also be perfect for an outing at the movies or part of a grander table. Believe me, your family is going to love them really quick.
Ingredients
3 green plantains
vegetable oil, for frying
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Ingredients
fresh chopped parsley, for serving