Patacones / Tostones – fried green plantains from Costa Rica

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• ½ onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 150 g dried black beans (or 300 g from a can)
• Salt and pepper, black
• n. B. water
• ½ onion(s)
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• some chili powder
• Salt and pepper, black
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• some parsley, chopped
• 1 cup of water, approx. 200 ml
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 plantain(s), green
• Rapeseed oil for frying
• Sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 9 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes; Total time approx. 11 hours 5 minutes

with black bean puree and tomato salsa

For the refried beans, soak the black beans in water overnight and drain in the morning. Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté in a little olive oil in a pan. Then add the beans and add just a little water (to avoid the refried beans becoming too runny, add a little more during cooking). Then simmer with the lid closed for about 45–60 minutes until tender. Just before the end, season with salt and pepper and puree. For the tomato salsa, dice the onions and tomatoes. In a bowl, mix with the vinegar, salt, pepper, chili powder, parsley, and olive oil. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1–2 hours. For the banana, dissolve the salt in the water in a small bowl. Cut off both ends of the banana. Then carefully score the skin lengthwise on both sides and peel the banana. Cut into pieces about 3 cm thick. Heat about 1 cm of frying oil in a pan. Do not overheat the oil (medium heat). Using tongs, place the banana pieces into the hot oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes. Then turn them over and fry for another 4-5 minutes on the other side. Briefly drain the pieces on a plate lined with kitchen paper and let them cool slightly. Cut open a freezer bag and unfold it. Place one piece of banana upright on the foil and cover with the other side. Then carefully flatten the banana piece (about 0.5 cm thick) using the bottom of a dessert plate, for example. Repeat with the other pieces. Then pull the flat bananas one by one through the salted water and let them dry thoroughly on the kitchen paper to prevent water from dripping into the frying oil later (risk of injury from splashing). Then heat the oil again (medium to high heat) and fry the bananas for another 3-4 minutes, turning them over once. Drain the cooked bananas on kitchen paper and fry the remaining ones. Sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with refried beans and tomato salsa.