Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips)

Plantains are a great and versatile produce that also happen to be quite inexpensive.  One great way of making green plantains is to make plantain chips or what is called mariquitas de platano. You want to make sure you use green plantains to make mariquitas de platano as ripened (yellow or black) plantains will end up soggy. These chips are simple to make and very delicious. Everyone in my family loves these because the chips are light and crispy! Also, they pair well with a variety of food and can be eaten as a side dish or as a snack. This is another vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, and gluten free friendly food. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more green plantains
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Food processor slicer for a standard mixer or handheld slicer
• A small/medium pot, knife, cutting board, and wire strainer

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS             
                                 

                                                                         

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Peel the plantain(s) and cut it in half (Depending on the size of the plantain, the pieces should be 4 ¼ to 5 inches in size) 
2. Slice the plantains using a food processor, standard mixer attachment, or handheld (mandoline) slicer. If you have none of those, you could also use a peeler. The pieces should be thin, about 1 to 2 mm thick. 
3. Now put oil in a pot about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil on high heat and use a plantain slice to check if the oil is hot enough. If the oil bubbles, the oil is ready.  
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and begin frying the plantains. Make sure you separate the plantain slices when placing them in the frying pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan or let the plantain slices overlap or they will clump and get stuck together. Cook the plantain slices for about 20 seconds or remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown. (Note: the plantain slices will cook very quickly in the oil and will continue to cook once removed from the oil, so be sure to remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown). Use a wire or mesh spider strainer to remove the plantains from the oil and place on a plate/tray covered with paper towels. Once finished frying, the plantains are ready to serve. The plantains can also be saved to eat later or at any time as a snack.