Latin Flair – Tostones (Double Fried Green Plantains)
Even though I was born and raised in New York City, my heart belongs to the Dominican Republic. So today, Dominican Independence Day, I wanna send a HUGE shout-out to all of my Dominican Brothers and Sisters. As a first generation Dominican child, I was less than proud. We ate weird foods and didn’t speak English. The part of the country where my family was from didn’t not have indoor plumbing or steady electricity. And despite being on an island in the Caribbean, we were a long way from the beach.
My maternal grandparents house where I spent many summer vacations as a child.
As I got older, I saw things in a different light. Our weird foods made us special. Not many people in the world understand the joy of eating morcilla (blood sausage) or pigs feet. (I know it sounds less than appetizing, but trust me, few things are more delicious.) Not having indoor plumbing meant we bathed “al fresco”. And not only have I gathered water from a well, but have witnessed one being dug from scratch.
My paternal grandparents house where I stay now when I visit.
The Dominican Republic is known by most as the birth place of stellar baseball players and the home of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. But there is so much more! And to celebrate it’s independence, today I bring you a side dish made from it’s National Food – Platanos (Plantains).
On any given day, platanos can make an appearance is every meal of the day in the Dominican Republic. (And by platanos I am referring to the green, starchier variety) Yes – you read that right – we eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We boil them, mash them, fry them, add them to soups and stews and even bake them into casseroles. I have yet to come across a Dominican that does not love platanos. So to celebrate Dominican culture on A Chica Bakes, I’m taking a break from desserts and showing you my favorite way to enjoy platanos.
Tostones are a very common side dish in the Dominican Republic. Think of them in the same vain as plantain chips only thicker and meatier (and way tastier). Making them is quite simple. I’m going to skip the formal recipe for this post and show you step-by-step.
Cut the ends of your platanos and peel off the skin.
Then slice the platano on an angle into thick chunks.
Fry the chunks until lightly golden brown in vegetable or canola oil. This is the only part in the process that is a little tricky. The oil shouldn’t be crazy, crazy hot but if it is not hot enough, you will end up with greasy tostones. If you want to be really precise, heat the oil to 350 degrees. Also, I don’t completely submerge them in oil at this stage.
Then take your chunks and smash them. There is a not-so-fancy piece of equipment called a tostonera you can buy to do this. But this is the ONE time when I don’t think special equipment is needed. I revert to my mother’s method and use a cup or glass. Remember, these are meatier than chips. So don’t smash them too thin. Also, if they are too thin they absorb too much oil.
After smashing, fry again in the same oil until they turn a couple shades darker.
Then sprinkle with salt and devour! Don’t let them sit too much when they are done. These are best enjoyed immediately after frying. They also don’t reheat well. But I doubt you will have any leftovers as tostones are insanely addictive.
Hope you enjoy this little piece of my culture. I’ll be enjoying some tostones today with an ice-cold Dominican beer, dancing the day away to merengue and bachata and paying homage to one of the most beautiful places in the world – Quisqueya Le Bella – The Dominican Republic.
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Rosa — February 27, 2011 @ 10:00 am
I love your gradparent’ house! Such a pretty color.
Those tostones look mighty good!
Cheers,
Rosa
Stephanie — February 27, 2011 @ 10:02 am
Yum! I love tostones! You give me that with some lechon and arroz con frijoles and I’m a happy girl.
Eliana replied: — February 27th, 2011 @ 10:04 am
Ay si. Lechon makes me a happy girl too.
Jackie Hale — February 27, 2011 @ 11:23 am
A boriqua girl, I have spend several vacations in the D.R. I love it and it is a beautiful place to visit. I love morcilla, not to keen on pig’s feet but love other parts of Sir Porky!! These platanos are marvelous, they smell wonderful and taste outta this world..Thank you for the reminders of yesterday’s and days to come for our heritage and culture..Que viva la cultura Hispana!
Angie — February 27, 2011 @ 11:55 am
Haha, I had some tostones yesterday at Mami’s house. I can eat them all day long. It is funny you mention the morcilla and pig’s feet because we also eat that a lot. I love the photos of your grandparents’ house; so beautiful. My first trip on an airplane was to go to the Dominica Republic for a vacation and loved it. My mom did too. She fell in love with the mangu. Couldn’t stop eating it…lol.
heather — February 27, 2011 @ 12:07 pm
The first visit to a Cuban restaurant, I fell in love with fried plantains. From there my fiancée and I ventured into buying and cooking our own — first fried plantain chips, then tostones. Both amazing! Topped with a little salt, and maybe a sprinkling of lime juice or zest and/or chipotle or ancho chilli powder, they’re a real treat in our house. Would love to try pig’s feet cooked the way you know them!
Cheers,
*Heather*
Kerstin — February 27, 2011 @ 3:26 pm
Happy Independence Day! I LOVE plantains – they are the perfect way to celebrate
Monica — February 27, 2011 @ 4:07 pm
Que rico! I think I’m going to make some now too….
Jennifurla — February 27, 2011 @ 4:30 pm
Thanks for sharing your stories and such a lovely treat. Hope you are having a very nice day.
Cynthia — February 27, 2011 @ 5:08 pm
You know I love me some PLATANOS and tostones
I just had some on Friday with shrimp ceviche. You can never go wrong with tostones. I know some of my dominican friends eat them with Ketchup! lol.
Megan — February 27, 2011 @ 5:14 pm
I loved reading this post and learning more about you and your family. And that house is adorable! I never realized tostones were so easy to make. I love them and there’s a restaurant near us that serves them as a side to the mahi-mahi I always order there.
Tracy — February 27, 2011 @ 5:41 pm
Love the photos of the houses, and the tostones look delicious!
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best — February 27, 2011 @ 6:09 pm
Happy Dominican Independence Day! Love love tostones, which is a perfect substitute for potatoes.
Mary Smith — February 27, 2011 @ 6:52 pm
I discovered tostones at a class where my latin friends taught me and other non-Latins about latin food. Tostones was one of our first lessons. YUMMY!!! But they then they took it up a notch: toston boats or cups they then topped with everything u could think of. First it was with picadillo. Then shrimp and finally to show us something closer to home — the toston cup was topped off with applie pie filling and whipped cream – but not before the toston was dipped in chocolate. They used something called a tostobueno — a plantain smasher and molder. Thank you so much for this port.
Eliana replied: — February 27th, 2011 @ 8:22 pm
I recently went to a restaurant that served a lovely salmon ceviche in a toston cup. Super delish!
Michele — February 27, 2011 @ 7:04 pm
I love the way food helps us share our culture. ^___^ . My mother married a wonderful African man from Camroon and he showed her how to make food from his culture and she shared ours here. A couple of summers ago she had us at her house to show us how to make plantain, fish and chicken the way he liked it. Happy Dominican Independence Day from me too.
Velva — February 27, 2011 @ 9:14 pm
Eliana, loved this post. Happy Independence Day.
I grew up in South Florida. First child to be born of an West Virginia coal miner’s daughter, in Miami. We ate strange food too. or at least I thought so. No, we did.
I have two huge green plantains sitting in my vegetable basket. I was deciding if I should wait till they ripen or not. Your post just made my decision.
I ate a lot of Latin and Caribbean food growing up. The food culture has had a tremendous impact on how I eat today.
Cheers.
Velva
Amy — February 27, 2011 @ 10:33 pm
Oh yes. Yes, yes, yes. What is it about fired food? An ex-boyfriend of mine had a best friend who was Jamaican. He would bring over platanos all the time. We would fry them up and cry when the last one was gone. Brings back fond memories. Well, except the “ex” part.
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum — February 28, 2011 @ 7:22 am
This is so cool! I love that it’s really not much more than just a few platains sliced and fried. Beautiful. And I loved seeing the picture of your family’s homes!!
megan @ whatmegansmaking — February 28, 2011 @ 8:04 am
This post is awesome! I love hearing about different cultures, and I loved seeing pictures of your grandparents house. These plantains look wonderful too. I’ve tried fried plantains before, but not like this!
Katrina — February 28, 2011 @ 8:52 am
This is such a cool recipe! I have never heard of frying plantains. Awesome.
Bonnie — February 28, 2011 @ 8:57 am
Both houses are wonderful as is your heritage!! I do eat blood sausage (from my Polish husband’s side) and pig’s feet (pickled) from my southern roots!! I really like plantains but have never made them myself. You’ve inspired me to have a go!
Best,
Bonnie
vanillasugarblog — February 28, 2011 @ 11:49 am
lol “we ate weird foods…” no no, you ate cool foods.
lets go to your familys home now…there is sun and warmth there!
Barbara Bakes — February 28, 2011 @ 12:00 pm
I loved learning more about you and your culture. I can see how these would be addicting!
Angie's Recipes — February 28, 2011 @ 12:49 pm
The house looks really great.
I like your fried plantains … how special!
jenn manzetti — February 28, 2011 @ 12:58 pm
love the colorful photos and “slice” of dominican life and cooking! great post chica.
5 Star Foodie — February 28, 2011 @ 1:44 pm
An excellent step by step tutorial, I love tostones!
Baking is my Zen — February 28, 2011 @ 5:52 pm
I love tostones! These make great appetizers.
Love the paint colors of the homes!
Hope your Dominican Independence Day was fun.
Carmen
Mary — February 28, 2011 @ 6:02 pm
I have only had these once. Unfortunately we have never lived in an area where they might be readily available. Your recipe and clear instructions have solved my problem.
I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Barbara — March 1, 2011 @ 8:01 am
I know what you mean about growing up “different,” Eliana. My Italian immigrant parents kept crocks of pickled pig parts in the cold cellar, where I was afraid to go when I was a kid. I am very proud of my heritage today, just like you. Oh, and those tostones – I love them! My sister-in-law often makes them for me. Can’t get them enough, though.
Megan — March 1, 2011 @ 9:35 am
These look and sound delicious! I will have to give these a try soon.
I love the story you told and the pictures of the places you grew up. Thanks so much for sharing!
The Duo Dishes — March 1, 2011 @ 10:51 am
Ship some to LA please!
Spike — March 1, 2011 @ 2:58 pm
oh tostones. I haven’t had good ones in so long! I’ll have to try your recipe.
pigpigscorner — March 1, 2011 @ 3:10 pm
Looks so delicious! Bring some my way please!
Florentina — March 1, 2011 @ 5:52 pm
Oh my God, you are gonna make me go to the store and look for Plantains. And I had cuban food last night lol
Brian @ A Thought For Food — March 1, 2011 @ 8:06 pm
So funny you posted this because I was just thinking about how wonderful fried plains are and i’ve been dying to try them out myself.
Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets — March 2, 2011 @ 9:46 pm
I’ve never tried cooking plantains at home. This would be the perfect introduction to the experience =).
Lisa @ The Cooking Bride — March 4, 2011 @ 4:51 pm
I am familiar with blood sausage. My great grandparents came from the former Czechoslovakia. I know, a long way from the Dominican, but blood sausage was part of their culture too.
I have the priviledge of trying fried plantains last summer and they were delicious!
Jaime — March 4, 2011 @ 10:50 pm
I had these for the first time during our recent trip to PR! they were yummy
I had only had ripe plantains before but the green ones were surprisingly tasty too. i had no idea how they were made, your photos were very cool! I’m glad you’ve learned to embrace your heritage as you’ve gotten older. It’s something to be proud of 
adal — March 7, 2011 @ 6:01 pm
I really really likeyour blog. Not just the recipes but visually… the pics are great! tostones this weekend! Best, Adal
Sasa — May 4, 2011 @ 2:57 pm
I’m so glad I came to visit after seeing @foodwandering’s tweet! You have a gorgeous blog and I really enjoyed this post – I remember I used to see lots of plantain stacked up in Hackneywick in London when I lived there, there was a big Caribbean community there and I always wondered what to do with it, now I know ^_^
Eliana replied: — May 4th, 2011 @ 3:00 pm
Awww – I’m so flattered and thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the tostones. They are my absolute favorite way to enjoy plantains.
Sugen — August 5, 2011 @ 12:12 am
Cold Platanos me anugan
Melissa B. { hungryfoodlove } — October 16, 2012 @ 3:42 pm
Eliana I love this post. It transports me to my grandparent’s house where I also spent so much, bathe al fresco, cooked from a caldero and dug water from a tanque. These houses look so well kept and nicely painted a beautiful Dominican postcard. In yesterday’s Lunes Latinos I honored my roots by explaining La Bandera Dominicana and included a link to this post of yours with a perfect side dish for un plato de arroz con habichuela y carne. Enjoy!