KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Tostones & Maduros
Prepared by Pedro Tomás of HoLA Hora Latina
Get whatever amount or “plátanos”/”plantains”
If you just want to make “maduros”, please buy them ahead of time and to expedite the ripening process, put them in a brown paper bag and in a dark place and check in a day or two. You will see that they have gotten a little softer and are beginning to discolor to a yellowish dark brown.
Tostones
1. Cut the ends off the plantain and peel.
2. Peel the plantain: It is best to cut one or two places in the plantain in a shallow long stride from end to end and then peel with your hands.
3. Cut plantain in chunks about one inch thick.
4. Place chunks in hot vegetable oil. Check and see until the bottom side in the oil has gotten yellowish brown and turn over to the other side and do the same. Once both sides are done, take them out of the of the oil and put them in a plate.
5. Flattening the chunks: with your “Tostonera”, if you don’t have one of these, then just make a flat surface with aluminum foil doubled about 8”x5”. Fold this in half and you have a home-made “Tostonera”. You will puck the chunks that you just fried and closing the aluminum foil over both cooked areas and flatten with your hands. Make sue you protect your hands from the heat with a rag or something else.
6. Re-fry the plantain flattened chunks and wait until they are a bright yellowish-brown color on both sides and take out and salt to taste.
Maduros
1. Cut ends off the plantain and peel the same way as you did for the tostones. You will find the ripened plantains are easier to peel.
2. Cut longways in pieces of about two inches long.
3. Place these in oil and they will be done very quickly. Do not let them get very dark.
Please, do not use the same oil from the tostones to make maduros as it will affect the taste of the finished tostones or maduros.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month.
Pedro