Mofongo (pronounced moh-FON-goh) is a typical Caribbean dish whose main ingredient is green plantain. It is very popular in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and surrounding islands, as well as in Puerto Rican immigrant communities around the world. It can be served as an accompaniment to other dishes or as a main course with different types of fillings. Preparing it is not difficult even if it is a bit tiring! Here you will find how to prepare mofongo.
Ingrediants
- One green plane tree per person
- Garlic (fresh or crushed) for flavoring
- Fried pork rind or cracklings (optional)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to flavor
- Vegetable oil (just enough) for cooking plantains
- If you want to serve with the filling: stewed beef, chicken, shrimp, or whatever you prefer!
Steps
Step 1. Heat the vegetable oil
Heat about 2.5cm - 5cm of oil in a pan up to 180 ºC. If you don't have a thermometer, heat the oil until it starts frying as soon as it comes into contact with the plantain.
Step 2. Peel the plantains
Make a shallow cut lengthwise and carefully remove the peel. This step will be easier by leaving the plantains to soak in hot water for no more than two or three minutes to soften the skin.
Step 3. Slice the plantains into 2.5cm round pieces
Step 4. Fry the plantains - a few pieces at a time - until golden brown
Don't fry them too much; if they become excessively brown they may not have the desired consistency. They must be cooked but not toasted.
Step 5. Place the fried pieces in a bowl with layers of kitchen paper to absorb the oil
Step 6. Place four or five pieces of fried plantain in a mortar and mash them
Add a couple of cloves of garlic, a few pieces of pork rind (the idea is to make the dish a little crunchy but without adding too much flavor), a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to flavor. Crush the dough again. Alternatively, you can use a food processor but the final texture of the dish will not be the same and may require an addition of olive oil.
Step 7. Remove the dough from the mortar and shape it to form a half ball (round with a flat base)
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If you serve the dish as it is, you are done! Accompany the mofongo with salad and other side dishes.
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If you are serving it with some kind of filling, use your fingers or a large spoon to make a hollow in the round part for the filling.
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Enjoy your meal!
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Step 8. Finished
Advice
- When served unfilled, some purists prefer to put mofongo in a salad bowl partially filled with a layer of chicken or fish broth.
- Buy enough plantains for the number of servings of mofongo you want to make. A general criterion is an average plantain per serving. The plantains must be completely green and very hard. Parts yellowed on the skin and soft parts mean that the plantain is ripening and the flavor will be sweet, not suitable for mofongo.
- There is a similar dish in the Dominican Republic; it is called "mangú" and its texture is softer.
Warnings
- Make sure the plantains are cooked inside. If the slices are still yellow and raw inside, fry them longer. Raw plantains could cause stomach ache!
- It doesn't keep well in the fridge. If you have leftovers, don't keep them for more than a day or two. To reheat the mofongo, use the microwave for a minute or two for each ball.
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This is not a low-calorie or low-fat dish, but if that bothers you you can make a few variations:
- Fry the plantain slices in rapeseed oil instead of corn oil.
- Do not add fried pork rind or cracklings and replace them with crunchy nuts such as almonds or hazelnuts if you and your guests are not allergic to them. This is also a good alternative for vegetarians.
- Use extra virgin olive oil in small quantities, adding just enough to the plantain mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. Extra virgin olive oil is more expensive but has a stronger flavor and smaller quantities will give the dish the right flavor.
