These simple garlic tostones are Puerto Rican fried plantains with a little sea salt are the perfect golden crispy addition to a plate of rice and beans.
SCALE
INGREDIENTS
- 2 plantains
- 1–2 cups oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup water
- sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel the plantains and cut them into 1-inch thick disks. Place the garlic in a bowl with the water and set aside.
- Heat enough oil in a large skillet so that the disks will be half way submerged in the oil. When the oil is shiny and a drop of water sizzles across the top, add the plantains. Fry for 3-5 minutes on each side until the plantains are lightly softened and browned. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.
- Place the plantains on a cutting board, smash with the back of a wooden spoon to make them half as thick, and let them soak in the garlic water for about a minute.
- Remove, dab them dry and wipe off garlic pieces so they don’t burn, and return to the frying pan. Fry for another 2-3 minutes on each side or until they take on a deep golden color and a crispy texture. Drain again on paper towels, sprinkle with ground sea salt, and serve with rice and beans.
NOTES
Just so you know, THEY ARE SO GOOD. Also, choose plantains that are firm and mostly green. The yellow and black ones are sweeter, which is also good and is usually called “Fried Ripe Plantains”, but we don’t want the sweet with all that garlic. This recipe is really for the less ripe plantains. Here’s a nice visual showing the colors of plantains and different stages of ripeness.
