Tostones is a popular fried plantain snack dish in Central and South America. Here we have added a desi twist which makes it perfect with your afternoon chai.
Tostones is a Latin American dish made with double fried plantains slices. It is found in many Caribbean countries named differently but all served with different sauce dips on the side. Herb Crema, salsa, Guacamole, or Chimichurri are popular dips served with this dish. This dish is very similar to how afternoon fried snacks are served in the Indian subcontinent. With a few twists, this becomes a great Desi Tostones recipe.
You can serve these as per the recipe below with the dips on the side as an appetizer or snack. However many take use it as a base and add toppings to it like pizza. Beans, cheese, tomato, onion, olives, salsa can all be used as per your liking and gives it a colorful look and also makes it a heavier more filling side dish.
While Plantains and bananas look similar, they are not the same thing. They differ in taste and how it is used. Ripe bananas are sweet and can be eaten as is, sometimes used in baked desserts. Plantains however cannot be eaten raw, they have to be cooked and have a very bland taste. That’s why it needs a sauce.
This is a great beginners recipe, check it out.
Makes: 4 appetizer servings
Time: 20 mins to cook
Ingredients:
- 3 green raw Plantains
- Oil for frying
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Chaat Masala (I like the MDH brand)
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder or Tajin seasoning if you have it
- Lemon wedges for garnish
- Serve with green chutney, Tamarind sauce, Hot sauce, or even simply ketchup.
- Plantains do not peel as easily as bananas. Cut the ends off the plantains. cut slits lengthwise in a couple of places. Peel off the skin, this will be harder than peeling a banana.
- Cut the plantains in 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces. You can also cut them straight or diagonally for a slightly different look.
- In a small frying pan heat up oil on medium high.
- Gently put in the pieces and fry them turning on all sides till just a little yellow. Total 4 mins.
- Remove onto tissue paper to absorb excess oil.
- Stand up a piece so that you see the middle. Using a flat plate gently push down to smash it. See picture how it looks before and after smashing them after the first frying.
- Then refry them again to a lightly golden brown color.
- Remove onto tissue paper
- While hot, sprinkle on top salt, red chili, chaat masala.
- Serve hot immediately with lemon wedges or any sauce or chutney you like.
Tips:
- For other simple ideas, check out more recipes in the Appetizer Section.