Oil and Crunch - Part I

When I was a six year old I had at least 99+ things I was scared of, but my biggest fears were
Red-rover,
Fire
and
Hot oil.

I haven't played  Red-rover since 1995 so I can't say for sure if I've overcome the phobia for this violent game, but at thirty-one summers, I can proudly pat myself on the back for having become somewhat friendly with fire and hot oil.  This is marvelous news for both of us (yes, you the reader and me, the recipe writer), since it means a whole wild world to explore and experiment. Some finger-licking deep-fried staples I dream of having in my repertoire are:

The crispiest and savouriest chicken wings;

The warmest  Bolivian buñuelos;

The most granny-remindering Yakgwa;

and

The secret recipe to Crispy Creme's doughnuts.

Along these lines and as a consequence of my previous food post which was about making Ceviche, I would like to share the recipes for side snacks that go superbly well with a fresh bowl of cold, astringently flavoured seafood. Popular pairings with ceviche include: chifles (plantain chips), popcorn, fried corn nuts, patacones (squashed and fried plantains) and I've seen Peruvian versions where it is also accompanied with yucca (cassava) or sweet potatoes.

In this and the post to follow, I will be sharing the recipes for:

Patacones (squashed and fried plantains)

and

Fried Corn Nuts

Each can be served on their own (suggestions of possible scenarios are made further on in the post) so if you aren't into sea creatures or don't care for Ceviche don't worry, you can still follow along.

(Please find the recipe for Fried Corn Nuts here)

Patacones 

(Squashed and Fried Plantains)

(servings: makes 8)

You will need:

- 2 unripe green plantains*

- vegetable oil for deep frying (deep frying = total submersion, i.e., whatever you're frying has to be as if swimming, with enough vertical space to float)

- salt to taste

*Plantains: starchy and thick in texture. Tastes horribly raw, so they have to be cooked. They cannot be confused with bananas although physically they look alike. For this recipe we want them unripe and as green as possible. 

What to do:

1. Fill your trusty and heavy pot with oil (half-way and a little more) and bring it to temperature over medium high heat.

2. While your oil is heating up, peel and cut your plantains using a small knife (such as a paring knife). The skin is thick so be careful, cut off the ends first, and make a straight long cut, then use your fingers to take off the peel, as if removing the carcass of an animal.

Chop your plantains into 4cm long cylinders.

3. Using a thermometer, make sure your oil reaches 170°C/ 340°F.  Fry no more than 3-4 pieces at a time, just until they begin to show a sunny yellow hue. Remove them from the oil and drain them on a holed rack or on paper towels.

Notice that they are not fully cooked on the inside (mostly, but not fully cooked), we want them just like this.

4. Grab a fat wooden pestle or a small bowl with a flat bottom that fits your hand like a baseball. And use it not to crush but to press down against the fried chunks of plantain. Normally, people smash the face of the plantain (where the seeds are looking upwards), but a friend at cooking school showed me the option of smashing it sideways, which flattens it out nicer, making it crunchier when fried. You can use either method, I like alternating but I'm more inclined to the latter method.

First method:

Second method:

4. Fill a small bowl with water add in a good spoonful of table salt, stir with a spoon. And give each smashed plantain a quick dunk in this solution and lay them out on a plate (soaking them salt water makes them softer yet crunchier)

Carefully, fry each piece of plantain until they are golden and crispy. 

Prinkle on some salt and enjoy when they are still warm and crunchy, either alone or accompanied by:

- generous slices of queso fresco (fresh cheese- in lack of which you can get slices of ricotta or mozzarella);

- a cheese or herby dipping sauce or mousse;

- homemade hot sauce; or,

- flavoured mayo.