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The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
620 | Calories |
34g | Fat |
57g | Carbs |
28g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 620 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 34g | 43% |
Saturated Fat 7g | 33% |
Cholesterol 40mg | 13% |
Sodium 990mg | 43% |
Total Carbohydrate 57g | 21% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
Total Sugars 25g | |
Protein 28g | |
Vitamin C 21mg | 103% |
Calcium 21mg | 2% |
Iron 1mg | 8% |
Potassium 902mg | 19% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Plantain mofongo is thought to originate in Puerto Rico, and is a dish made from fried green (unripe) plantains mashed together with garlic and crackling pork rinds, also known as chicharrón. To make mofongo, the plantains are sliced and fried until tender, and then mashed with garlic paste and pork cracklings. The mixture can either be formed into balls or a half-dome shape. Mofongo is traditionally mashed in a mortar and pestle, but you can use a potato masher if you don't have one.
This plantain recipe most likely stems from African cuisine—enslaved people brought a dish called foo foo or fufu to the Caribbean, which is made in the same manner from various mashed starchy vegetables, such as yams, cassava, and plantains. There are also similar mashed plantain dishes from the other Spanish-speaking islands; Cuba has fufu de plátano and The Dominican Republic has mangú.
Mofongo is a side dish as well as the main course, especially when it is stuffed with meat or seafood. It can be accompanied by a protein, such as chicken or shrimp, and beans and rice, but is also often presented in a bowl with a broth poured over the top. The Puerto Rican dish is also served directly out of the mortar.
Click Play to See This Traditional Mofongo Recipe Come Together
"The mofongo was very good. It was a quick and easy preparation and the plantain slices were perfectly fried in about 4 minutes. I used a deep fryer to fry mine, and it was practically effortless." —Diana Rattray
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Ingredients
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Vegetable oil, for frying
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3 medium green, unripe plantains
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1 tablespoon garlic paste
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6 ounces pork rinds or cracklings, crushed
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Kosher salt, to taste
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or deep fryer to 350 F.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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While the oil is heating up, peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch rounds.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Fry the plantains until golden and tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Remove cooked plantains from the pan or fryer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Put the garlic paste in a large bowl or mortar and add the fried plantains, in batches, if necessary. Mash thoroughly.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Add the pork rinds. Continue to mash and mix until all of the ingredients are combined. Add salt to taste.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Shape the mofongo into 4 balls and serve.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Alternatively, you can make the mofongo into a half-dome shape using a small condiment bowl as a mold; push a portion of mofongo down to the bottom of the bowl.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
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Then use the spoon to scrape around the bowl and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.
The Spruce/Diana Chistruga
Tips
- Serve mofongo warm as a main dish with a spicy sofrito or broth, or serve it as a side along with meat or seafood.
- If your mashed mofongo is too dry to hold together, add a small amount of olive oil, broth, or water, as needed.
- Fry the mofongo just until it is golden yellow in color, not browned.
Recipe Variations
- Add color and flavor to your mofongo with a garnish of lime wedges and chopped cilantro.
- Add extra flavor to the mofongo mixture with a few tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro and a dash of smoked paprika.
How to Store Mofongo
- Mofongo is best eaten right away because it can becomes quite dry and crumbly as it sits, and the pork rinds will lose their crispiness. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To reheat leftover mofongo, heat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding water or broth as needed for moisture.
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