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Mariquitas recipe (Plus How to Make
Cuban Tostones)
Chichachirritas is the Cuban name given to green plantain chips, sliced round,
fried and salted. Mariquitas is what Cubans call them when they are sliced the
Nicaraguan way; slicing them lengthwise to create long, slender, wavy chips,
fried and salted. There are also
platanos maduros, the ripe fried plantains that are sweeter in taste.
They are really good brought to the table piping hot and sprinkled with mojo.
Prep Time: 10 minutes - Cook Time: 4 minutes - Total Time: 14 minutes
Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups canola or peanut oil for frying
2 green plantains
salt or garlic salt
Pour the oil to a depth of 2 or 3 inches in a deep-fat fryer, a dutch oven or
heavy skillet. Heat to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
Peel the plantains. Slice lengthwise for Mariquitas or in round chips for
Chicharritas, as thinly as possible, using a mandolin if you have one, with the
blade at its thinnest opening. Slide them into the hot fat in small batches. You
don't want them to clump together.
Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes, turning with a metal
skimmer. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and/or
mojo. Serve at once.
How to Make Cuban Tostones
Tostones are twice-fried plantain chips. When making Cuban tostones, first use
green plantains (plantains with a black skin are ideal for platano maduro - the
sweet and soft dessert version). Peel both plantains, then slice into pieces,
each piece about 2" long (click
here for an example).
Fry them using the same method as above until soft, and let them drain on paper
towels. Next, take each piece and smash it in a
tostonera - a tostones press available at most online Cuban stores. If you
don't have a tostonera, you can simply place paper towels over a slice, and
smash it into a flat round with a can of food.
When your cooking oil is hot again, add all of your flat plantain pieces and fry
them on each side until golden brown. Allow them to drain on paper towels,
sprinkle them with mojo sauce
(if you like) to taste, or put the mojo on the side to use as a dipping sauce.
Main Cuban recipe pages:
appetizers
• soups •
main
dishes •
desserts •
drinks
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