#monfongo

https://www.demandafrica.com/food/recipes/mofongo-traditional-afro-puerto-rican-dish/

Monfongo Recipe

(Dona Tita’s recipe)

Since I have been eating healthy I crave many Puerto Rican dishes but this one always wins the battle. I always give in! Monfongo is mashed plantains with garlic and pork rinds and this is a recipe from a prideful little old Puerto Rican lady! Dona Tita So is it hard to make? No but it is labor intensive.

Special cooking utensils needed

Pilon (mortar) find it in the Latin food grocery stores.

Tostonera http://kitchenest.com/imusa-bamboo-plantain-tostonera-jumbo-bam-10007.html

3 green plantains 1 tablespoon crushed garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ lb. chicharrón or cooked bacon (crumbled) Vegetable oil for frying

Cut ends off of plantains, slice plantains peel down the middle so that you just cut into the peel Peel plantains, cut them into 1-1/2 inch sections Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan medium high heat, fry plantains until golden brown on each side (watch carefully) Remove plantains, from frying pan and place them one at a time into the toastonera Squash the plantains, set aside until you finish them all, return to the frying pan 3batches at a time to finish the cooking process. Mash together the garlic olive oil and chicharron or bacon in the pilon and set them aside in a bowl Take the hot plantains, about 2 toastones and add them to the pilon without removing grease add some of the garlic/chicharron mixture mash until well mixed, then add more plantains, more garlic/chicharron mixture. Mash the tostones, a few at a time in the pilon adding a little bit of the garlic mixture. You will have to work a few slices at a time. When all done mix all the batches together for even distribution of seasoning. Add salt if needed. This is a side dish that needs to be served warm. Keep forming balls in pilon until mixture is all used up. run a butter knife along the edges and invert on to a plate. Optional but I like my monfongo with a dressing made from olive oil, vinegar, onions and garlic recipe below 1/3 cup olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1/3 cup thinly sliced onion 1 clove of garlic 2 tablespoons of cilantro Mash garlic, finely chop cilantro, then in a bowl mix in all the remaining ingredients.