Tostones bring back so many memories of my childhood in the Bronx. I first discovered these fried crispy treats as an 11 year old. I used to visit my friend Elena and no matter what the meal, tostones were on the table. Her family was from the Dominican Republic. She told me that a meal was not a meal without them.
To me, they were just green bananas. At first inspection, they were hard and nothing like the traditional bananas I was used to. I would watch her slice them, fry them and then fry them again. It was fun to watch them go from hard beige circles to tostones. She was 12 and this all seemed extremely grown up for a 7th grader!
There’s much debate about the origination of the tostones. We know for sure that these fried plantains are enjoyed all over in Latin and Caribbean countries. By the way, my friends pronounce it To-Tone-Nay without pronouncing the “S”.
Tostones are Perfect Solo or With Toppings
Tostones are perfect solo and with a dash of salt. You can also top them off with mojo sauce or black bean sauce. The green plantain offers a good amount of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and B6. Have some tostones and get an extra bit of magnesium and potassium in your diet.
For this recipe you will need 3-4 green plantains or bananas. Tostones are starchy. When you fry them up, they might remind you of a thicker potato chip. Have fun. If this is your first time with a green banana then congrats to you. One of the benefits of choosing to add more plants to your plate is that you get to try new things!
LA is a plant-based advocate from the Bronx who has been celebrating Hispanic-Heritage month by remembering her childhood and cooking the foods that she discovered along the way. Sign up below to stay connected and don’t forget to check out the easy 5 day email class: Intro to Plant-Based Nutrition.
Easy Tostones
Ingredients
- 3-4 Green Plantains
- Oil for Frying
- Salt as Garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pan to the stove and fill with frying oil. While waiting for the oil to get hot, peel the plantains. Slice them into circles about 1inch thick.
- Add your tostones to the oil and fry on both sides until they get soft. (3-5 Minutes)
- Using a slotted spoon or slotted spatula, remove the tostones and lay them on a paper towel. Remove your pan from the heat until you are ready to begin after the next step.
- Use a potato masher, flat plate or the bottom of a glass to smash the plantains. You just want to flatten them. Once done, return them to the hot oil to fry on both sides. They should be light brown and crispy. Remove from oil and lay out on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Add salt to taste.