Tostones

Tostones (from the Spanish verb "tostar" which means "to toast" [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/toast] ) are a side dish made from sliced green (unripe) "plantains" which are cut either length-wise or width-wise and are twice fried. The first step is to heat the oil on medium for a few minutes. Once it's hot enough, one fries the slices for 1-2 minutes on each side until they are golden in color (raw plantain is off-white to pale pink in color). One then removes them, pats dry excess oil, pounds them flat with a "tostonera" or any kitchen utensil that has a large enough flat surface (the flat bottom of a sturdy glass or cup works well), then fries them once again until they are lightly crisp and right before they start to turn brown or burned..

They are salted and eaten much like potato chips. In some regions, it is also customary to dip them in mojo, a garlic sauce. They can also be bought pre-made from supermarkets.You can have them with a side of Cubed Steak in Onions, and also a Side Salad. This food is found in Caribbean cuisine, especially in the Dominican Republic, Haiti (where they're referred to as "bannann peze"), Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Nicaragua or also quite commonly in West African cuisine and is referred to as Plantain Crisps.

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