Tostones are fried “green” plaintains. I put the green in quotes because I ended up with yellowish plantains and they were just fine.

Ingredients

  • 3 green plantains
  • 1–2 cups vegetable oil
  • sea salt to taste
  • Magic Green Sauce for dipping

Steps

  1. Peel the plantains by making a vertical cut through the skin and peeling it back.
  2. Cut the plantains into 1-inch thick pieces.
  3. Heat a layer of oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
  4. Fry the plantains in batches. When the plantains are starting to turn light golden brown, remove from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. If you find they become black because you got distracted, do not despair – they are still delicious.
  5. Smash each piece with the back of a wooden spoon – this gives you a flatter shape with rougher edges. Return to the frying pan and fry for an additional 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer back to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. This is a classic twice frying technique just like you use for french fries.
  6. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately, dipped in Magic Green Sauce. They are also delicious served underneath crispy fried eggs (in which case the yolk becomes the sauce and they are just like “hash browns”).