tostones

fried green plantains, the dominican way!

2 green plantains (unripe)
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
Kosher salt

STEP 1
Using a sharp knife, cut vertically down the side of the plantain (do not cut too deeply; you just want to puncture the skin). Then use a dull knife to peel the skin back away from the flesh. The skin should then come easily off the entire plantain (if not, keep using the dull knife to push the skin away from the flesh). Cut the plantain into ½-inch rounds. You should get about 9 or 10 rounds out of one plantain.

STEP 2
In a medium-sized cast iron skillet, pour enough oil to deep fry the plantain rounds (about halfway up the side of the skillet) and heat over high heat. Place one round into the oil to see if it’s ready; if it immediately sizzles, the oil is ready and add the rest of the plantain rounds. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until a light golden color. Remove the plátano from the skillet onto a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board. Smash each round with the bottom of a cup or other hard surface.

STEP 3
Fry the smashed rounds in the hot oil for another minute on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Remove the tostones from the skillet onto a clean paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Eat immediately, preferably with rice and beans!

FYI: Dominicans use a tostonera to smash the plantain rounds (or as my sisters and I called it as kids—a plátano smasher). These can be found online on Amazon and Etsy, but the best kind and the kind I use I have only found in the Dominican Republic.

IMO: The frozen tostones you see at the grocery store are not worth the time and money. If you are going through the trouble of frying, buying fresh is always the way to go.