Once again I tell you, if you still don’t have a mandoline (cooking utensil), buy one soon or ask someone to give it to you for your next birthday, because if you want to make crispy Platanutres-Plantain chips-Mariquitas, you are going to need i! It is not only convenient and fast, but precise in cutting many uniform thin pieces of plantains. Nonetheless, it should be used carefully because its blade is very sharp. Making plantain chips is very easy and they keep for a long time if you store them in an airtight container.  All you need is very green plantains and vegetable oil. These snacks are great alone or with my brother’s shrimp ceviche.  Sometimes I crush some pieces to bread sea bass fillets which I cook in the oven (hopefully, I will post recipe soon).  Be careful while peeling the green plantains since in its raw state, it will stain your clothes… forever.

As a matter of fact, plantain (plátano macho) is a large “banana” native to South East Asia and Oceania, not the Caribbean, but since we have a similar tropical climate it adapted well to our terrain and as a result its an important part of our diet. It can be steamed, boiled, grilled, fried, microwaved, you name it!  The difference between plantains and bananas is that plantains have lower sugar content and are cooked before consumption and bananas (sometimes called dessert bananas) are smaller, sweeter and usually eaten raw when ripe.

In Puerto Rico these treats are called Platanutres, Platanitos in some South American countries and in Cuba, Mariquitas.  In Haiti they are called bannan fris, chilfles in Ecuador and tajadas in Honduras. You can cut them crosswise for round pieces or lengthwise for large plantain ribbons or strips.  Also, you can buy them in bags like you do regular potato chips in many countries, but there’s nothing like homemade Platanutres!

Platanutres- Plantain Chips- Mariquitas

Ingredients

Plantains (green)

vegetable oil

salt

Procedure

1.  Thinly slice plantains in a mandoline.  Keep in salted water until ready to fry.

2.  Heat vegetable oil med-hi and fry plantain chips (pat them dry from the water before putting in hot oil) until golden.  Fry in small batches. Drain excess oil and sprinkle with salt.  Add some powder garlic (optional). Store in airtight container or zip-lock bags.