Tostones
| Tostones | |
|---|---|
| Snack | |
 Tostones being cooked | |
| Alternative name(s): | |
| Patacones | |
| Main ingredient(s): | |
| Unripe plantains, oil | |
| Recipes at Wikibooks: | |
 Tostones | |
| Media at Wikimedia Commons: | |
 Tostones |
Tostones (Spanish pronunciation: [tosˈtones], from the Spanish verb tostar which means "to toast"), also known as patacones (pronounced: [pataˈkones]), Fritos Verdes (Domincan Republic) and banan peze (Haiti) are fried plantain slices, and are a popular side dish in many Latin American countries. They are known as patacón in Colombian cuisine, Panamanian cuisine, Peruvian cuisine, Venezuelan cuisine and Ecuadorian cuisine, where they are often served with a garlic mojo (sauce) or ají (sauce). The patacón maracucho is a fried plantain sandwich in Venezuelan cuisine.[1] In Haiti they are often served with the traditional Haitian griot (fried pork) or pikliz, a pickled hot pepper mix.
Preparation
Sliced green (unripe) plantains are cut either length-wise or width-wise and are twice fried.[2] The slices of plantains are fried for one to two minutes on each side until they are golden in color, and removed and patted for excess cooking oil. Afterwards, they are pounded flat with a utensil made for the task, called a tostonera, or any kitchen utensil that has a large enough flat surface. The plantains are then fried once again until they are crisp and golden brown.
Serving
Tostones are salted and eaten much like potato chips/crisps or French fries/chips. In some regions, it is customary to dip them in mojo (a garlic sauce). In some countries, they are served topped with cheese as an appetizer, or with shrimp ceviche, pulled chicken or avocado salad.[3] They can also be bought prepared from supermarkets. This food is found in all varieties of Caribbean cuisine.
Tostones are also a staple of Latin American countries and the Caribbean, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, the north coast of Honduras, and Haiti (where they are known as banan peze and are often served with the traditional Haitian griot (fried pork) or pikliz - a pickled hot pepper mix). The dish is known as patacones in Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela (Zulia State), Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. In Nicaragua, Honduras, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and in most of Venezuela, they are known by the name tostones. In the Dominican Republic they are also known as "fritos verdes".[4]
They can also be found in West African cuisine, where they are referred to as plantain crisps.
Variants
Breadfruit can also be made into tostones. The procedure is much the same, except the breadfruit has its green outer layer cut off, then the remainder is sliced inward in pieces about 1 inch (2 - 3 cm) thick.
Other uses of the term
In Honduras, the term tostón may also refer to the fifty-cent coin of the local currency, the lempira. This is also the case in Mexico in reference to fifty cents of a Peso.