Tostones (fried plantains)
Tostones are addictive (twice) fried green plantains. A tasty snack or side dish that's popular throughout Latin America and the Caribbean
Ingredients
- 2 large green plantains (cooking bananas, sliced into 1 inch pieces) (NOTE 1)
- 4 cups cold water
- 1 tbsp salt (NOTE 2)
- vegetable oil (to fry) (NOTE 3)
Instructions
- Remove the peel by slicing a small amount from the base and top of the plantain, then use a small sharp knife to make an incision through the skin lengthwise. You should be able to pry the peel from the flesh. If the plantain is very green, you may have trouble separating the skin as I did. I had to resort to shaving the peel off by using a vegetable peeler. Cut the plantain approximately into 1-inch pieces.
- Fill a large bowl half full with water and stir in the salt until it dissolves. Place the plantains into the salted water for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature.
- Pour enough oil into a medium heavy-based saucepan to submerge the plantains. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (360°F). You could also test if the oil is ready by placing a wooden object into the oil (chopstick, skewer or wooden spoon). The oil is ready for frying when bubbles form around the object. Whilst the oil is heating, remove the plantains from the salted water and dry each piece with paper towels. This part is important because the oil will dangerously spit if there's any water left on the plantains.
- Fry the plantain in small batches for 3 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat if the oil gets too hot or drops in temperature. Remove plantains from the oil and transfer them onto a plate to cool for 5 minutes. Leave the oil heated, as we will need it for our second fry.
- Once the plantain is cool enough to touch, use an object with a flat bottom (mug or cup) to flatten each piece of plantain. The flatter it is, the more crispy it will be. However, if it's too thin, it may break. Use a flat spatula to remove the plantain if it's stuck to the mug.
- Working in small batches, place the flattened plantain back into the oil. To ensure even colouring, carefully flip the plantains a few times when frying. Place the plantains on a cooling rack for 2 to 3 on one level (don't stack them) so they'll be less greasy. Place grease-proof paper underneath the cooling rack to catch any excess oil.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Plantains (cooking bananas) - For making perfect savoury, thin and crispy tostones, you'll need rock-hard, unripe green plantains.
(NOTE 2) Salt will flavour the tostones and draw out moisture from the plantains, making the tostones more crispy after frying.
(NOTE 3) Frying oil - I used vegetable oil, but any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point (it doesn't burn at high temperatures) would work. Rice bran, sunflower or corn oil are great choices for deep frying.
Leftovers - Tostones are best served immediately to enjoy the crispy texture. To store, allow the tostones to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer into a sealed container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I've used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 2gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 308mgPotassium: 609mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 1409IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg