Tostones

Instructions

Steps:

1. Make the brine: In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Set aside.
2. Make the lime sour cream: In a medium-size bowl, whisk the cream cheese and lime juice, to
taste. Season with salt, and add the cilantro. Set aside.
3. Make the chili salt: using a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder, grind sugar, pepper flakes, salt,
and garlic flakes. Set aside.
4. Fill a large straight-sided skillet or pan with 2″ of oil, and heat oil to 300°. (You want to keep the
oil between 285° and 300° for this first stage of frying.)
5. Slice the plantain in half crosswise, then run a sharp knife along the outsides of each half. (This is
called scoring; it will help to make peeling the plantain easier.) Slice the plantain to make 2”
thick circles.
6. Fry the plantain circles for about 3 minutes, or until golden yellow. Transfer the plantains to a
baking sheet or large plate. While still warm, use a cup or tortilla press that has been lightly
oiled, and flatten the plantains into a disks. Once flattened, add the plantains to the brine so
that they are fully immersed, and then immediately remove them.
7. Raise the temperature of the oil to 350°. Add the flattened plantains to the hot oil for a second
fry, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden. Transfer the plantain circles to a
paper towel-lined baking sheet or large plate.
8. Transfer the plantain to a bowl, and season with the chili garlic salt. Serve with the lime sour
cream.