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Mi Gente, wanted to share with you the recipe to one of my favorite meals. As a Puerto Rican/Dominican we can make some mean mofongo I spent a lot of time trying to make it right. My favorite is to add shrimp, although many make it with pork or beef. The dish is pretty fulfilling so I personally recommend serving it with a Salad and your favorite drink. Hope you enjoy it.
WHAT IS MOFONGO?
Mofongo is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that combines a fried mashed plantains, stuffed with meats like pork, bacon or seafood, and then served with fried meats or a soup. It originated when the African dish fufu was recreated with Spanish and Taíno influences.
INGREDIENTS For the Mofongo
- 1 cup oil for frying corn, peanut or soy
- 4 green plantains peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
- 2 tbsp garlic mashed
- 1 lb pork cracklings or cut into 1 inch pieces or 1/4 cup of pork grinds
- 1 ½ tsp salt or more, to taste
For the Garlic Mojo
- 6 garlic cloves finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons bitter orange juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons cup olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano crushed
- 1 tablespoon cilantro roughly chopped
Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the Garlic Mojo
- Crush together garlic cloves and salt with a pilón (mortar and pestle), and put into a medium bowl.
- Stir in fresh bitter orange juice, olive oil, cumin, oregano, and chopped cilantro.
- Add more salt to taste, if desired.
To Make the Mofongo
- Peel the plantains, cut them into 1 1/2-inch slices, soak them in salty water for 15 minutes, drain them and dry them before putting them on the hot skillet with oil.
- Heat oil over medium heat and fry the plantains till golden brown all over (3-5 mins). Make sure to turn them. Do not brown them too much, so they are easy to mash. Stick a fork in them to check if they are done.
- Remove them and Using a pilón (wooden mortamash the plantain, garlic, and cracklins together (You might have to do it in small batches and mix in the end).
- Once you have mashed all the plantains, mold them into the shape of half sphere using your hands or a container. Serve hot with chicken broth or your favorite meat.
- Serve with extra pork cracklings (chicharrón) and garlic mojo on the side.
NOTES
You can use a potato masher if you do not have a mortar and pestle to mash the plantain.
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