Crispy Tostones with Cilantro Lime Crema

Tostones (double-fried green plantains) are an iconically Hispanic recipe, making them perfect for our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. These starchy, salty snacks deliver everything you love about potato chips with some of the qualities of say, a potato cake. They’re super crispy on the outside with a firm chew as you reach the middle. Dunk them in your favorite dip and you’ll be in heaven.

No one knows for sure who made the first tostones. Originally called “patacones,” they were dubbed after the official currency of Spanish colonials in the Caribbean. However, which of the tropical islands in the region can claim tostones as their own remains unknown.

If you were to take a much needed (more than ever, amirite) vacation to the Caribbean, you wouldn’t have to search long before you’d find tostones at a restaurant or street cart. Many establishments offer them as a side item, just as we do with chips in the States. They’re considered a staple by families across Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and all of the tiny islands spread throughout the warm Caribbean Sea.

Crispy Tostones with Cilantro Lime Crema

Ingredients

• ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 tbsp green onion, cut into thin rounds
• 1 tbsp cilantro, washed and chopped
• ½ tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp hot sauce

• 1 ½ cups Chosen Foods Avocado Oil
• 2 unripe plantains
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Start with this step so the dip is ready to eat when the tostones come out of the fryer. Simply combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Feel free to add a pinch of salt or black pepper to taste.

1. Pre-heat the avocado oil at 375°F in a 6-8” deep saucepan to avoid splatters. This should be medium-high heat, but test it with a kitchen thermometer.
2. Cut off the ends of each plantain. Make a ⅛” inch deep incision into the skin (lengthwise) from end to end. Do this four times, or at every quarter diameter, around each one, then peel the strip of skin off. (Unripe plantains are harder to peel than regular bananas or ripe plantains.)
3. Cut each peeled plantain into three 2” slices.
4. In the hot oil, fry all six plantain pieces until golden brown. Place the pieces on a paper towel or rack to drain excess oil.
5. When they're cool enough to handle, stand the plantains up vertically. Using a flat plate or heavy glass container, press down on each one until it's about ⅛-¼” thick. Set aside. Note: it's important to press them while they're still hot.
6. In a shallow dish, add ½ cup of warm water and ½ tsp of salt. Dissolve the salt.
7. Dip each pressed plantain into the salted water, then let it dry for a few seconds before frying it again in the oil. The saltwater solution will help your tostones to become crispier and more flared on the outside.
8. Remove the tostones from the oil when they are golden brown and crunchy. Sprinkle them with some salt as soon as they come out of your frying pan and it should stick. Enjoy them with the cilantro lime dip recipe we provided, guacamole, or homemade salsa!