Let me tell you a story about love and tostones…
I have read with a smile on my face the accounts of our readers who have found our sites useful when introducing their foreign spouses to Dominican food or who want to learn about Dominican cooking to the delight of their Dominican spouses. I must confess now that our website has helped me as much as it has helped our readers.
When my now-husband first arrived in the Dominican Republic he didn’t immediately become a fan of Dominican food. The stereotypical image of what Dominican food is (or isn’t) didn’t help much: he thought Dominican food was all about rice and beans. Cooking at home became a tour de force between my ability to cook dishes that were better known throughout the world and my regular craving for Dominican food.
Now my husband has taken it on himself to become an expert on Dominican food, after all, being Aunt Clara’s husband bears some responsibilities, I suppose. Little by little he has learned to appreciate our cuisine and has even shown an interest in how to prepare some of our dishes.
I do not think that he will ever get to like mondongo, but hey, I don’t eat meat so I can live with that. Chances are he will never understand our love for habichuelas con dulce or agree to even try carne de chivo, but I find pleasure in the fact that he considers some of our dishes as his favorite food, after all, it means that our site has won another another fan of Dominican food.
Every time we receive a letter thanking us for our site I remember that I should be thanking our readers too. Your letters and constant support have made this job easy and enjoyable for us; I suppose that I should also thank our readers because in a way you are responsible for our marital bliss.
If you also have a reluctant spouse, do not despair, be patient, eventually they all fall. You would not believe the powers of a hot asopao in a rainy day. I just hope that when the groom said “I do” free tostones wasn’t the only thing he had in mind.
So, what are tostones?
Dominicans’ favorite side dish, tostones are slices of plantain, fried, flattened, then fried again. It is the side dish of choice, and welcome at street food stands and Dominican dinner tables.
Aunt Clara
Tostones (twice-fried plantains) is, without doubt, Dominican's favorite side dish. Learn how to make them with this simple step by step recipe. It feels just as home at a street food stand or at the family table.
Tostones are also known as fritos verdes (green fries) in the Dominican Republic.
Ingredients
- 2 unripe plantains
- 1/2 cup of oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Peel the plantains and cut into 1 inch thick slices.
- In a deep frying pan heat the oil and fry the plantains till golden.
- Flatten the plantains using a tostonera to about a third of an inch thick.
- Fry the plantains again until golden yellow on both sides.
- Serve immediately.
Aunt Clara's Kitchen is a collection of traditional Dominican and Dominican-inspired recipes, home ideas, crafts, and the chronicles of Aunt Clara and Aunt Ilana's adventures.
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
this is how i make my fried plantains. a dominican friend taught me how! but he puts hot sauce in his sauce…. gives them a little kick!
I made these just this morning! I do it pretty much like this, but I use a cutting board to flatten them instead.
Guess you had to grow up with it as a side dish. I bought some frozen and deep fried them. I don't like them green, but I'm a fan of ripe plantains sweet dish. The taste is bland, a Columbian friends wife made them once when I was younger guess I forgot the taste.
How many frozen dishes have you bought that turned out as good as the original? Try making yours from scratch before you make your mind.
THANK YOU AUNT CLARA FOR THIS RECIPE! AS A WEST AFRICAN(SENEGAL) I CAN TOTALLY RELATE TO YOUR FOOD AND METHODS OF COOKING. I MADE THIS AS THE SIDE DISH OF FRIED WHOLE TILAPIA THAT WAS SEASONED WITH SALT, BLACK PEPPER AND A BIT OF FLOUR FOR THE CRUNCH. IT WAS DELISH! MY LARGE FAMILY LOVE IT LOL!
Delicious. I make them like this but I use the back of a glass to flatten mine
I love this snack! Can be a meal!! I use the skins of the plantain to mash them down then refry to golden, then I add kosher salt. Also, I make a side dipping sauce from olive oil, lime and fresh garlic,a little salt and pepper and sit back and savor the memories of my childhood in New York city! : )
Dear Aunt Clara,
Thank you for posting so many authentic Dominican dishes on your website! My wife and I lived in Jarabacoa for two years during the early 1990s. We grew to love arroz con habichuelas and tostones. We also loved the chimichurris sold by the local street vendors. I see your recipe calls for ground beef, but the sandwiches we enjoyed from the street vendors were clearly NOT hamburger, but rather some kind of pork product. Do you have any idea what it was? Is there a decent equivalent available in the United States?
Thanks again!
-David Dillon
Thanks, David.
If you read the comments on the chimi post you’ll see that we addressed that same questions.
This has helped me w/ my spanish project, i have to find a food to cook in Costa Rica and i have been searching the web for simple directions that will help me prepare and cook the tostones. Your directions were percise and easy to follow, thank you!!! Could u fry them w/ flour and put podwered sugar on them when they r finished and still taste good ???
Tia Clara,
My family had an additional step, which was, once flattened (we used the plantain skin and muscle), it was dipped in salted water, then it was refried. I will try it your way with kosher salt. I also saw your comment to the person who used frozen fried plantain. You were SOOOO right. Nothing like eating it fresh (as is usually the case with ALL food unless it is meant to be frozen). Love your site! Thanks again. Also, LOVE those glasses!
I have heard of that method, but I like the crunchiness of coarse salt on them. A matter of preference, really.
I so something similar, but instead of salted water, I dip the flattened plantain in garlic water, then refry. I’ll sometimes add salt after I have taken it out of the oil and blotted it dry. Thanks for sharing!
they look yummy!
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