Healthy Puerto Rican Dish

MASHED GREEN PLANTAIN

Here’s a trip to the Caribbean with a clean version of Puerto Rico’s favorite dish: Mofongo. This is one of my favorites, and I need to try it when I go home (once a year). You’ll definitely see it on the menu in Puerto Rican restaurants.

What is Mofongo?

It is made from fried green plantains mashed with a “pilón” – a wooden Mortar and Pestle. They could add broth, garlic, olive oil, bacon, pork cracklings and served it as a side dish or it can be the main course when it is filled with chicken, shrimp, beef, or vegetables. It is also served in other Caribbean countries like the Dominican Republic (called “Mangú”) and Cuba (“Fufu de Plátano Verde”) but its origin are likely from Africa. Their versions are usually boiled, which is how I chose to made my clean version.

For information about plantains, you can refer to my previous recipe…
http://www.merrittclubs.com/blog/healthy-recipes/plantains-and-a-healthier-puerto-rican-dish

Ingredients
- 2 green plantains
- 2 tbsp. Earth Balance Natural Spread with Olive Oil (or you can make it with Olive Oil).
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp. Sea Salt

1. Cut off the ends of all the green plantains. Hold the plantain firmly and use the tip of a knife to slip lengthwise the plantain (don’t cut too deep). Peel the plantain and use a knife to remove any peel remnants. Green plantains can be hard to peel so a tip to make this process easier is to soak them in ice for 3 minutes or more and peel from the water. Cut the peeled plantains in 4 equal pieces.
2. Boil water and add the plantains. Wait 10-15 minutes for the plantains to be soft and easily pierced a fork.
3. If you have a “pilón”, then mashed the garlic there. If not, passed through a garlic press and add to food processor.
4. When plantains are soft, transfer them to the “pilón” and mashed piece by piece (again, use a food processor as a substitute). While you are mashing, add the olive oil or earth balance (1/4 at a time).
6. You’ll notice that the mashed plantains will stiffen up, so you can add ½ cup (more or less) of the boiling water into the recipe (or you could use low sodium chicken broth).
7. Continue mashing to incorporate the flavor into the “mofongo” and make 5 equal “mofongo” balls. Serve as a side dish with lean protein and vegetables.
Thanks to my beautiful mother back in Puerto Rico for helping me with this one.
9. ¡BUEN PROVECHO!