Recipe: Tostones

As a mixed person, I have lived through 22 long years of people thinking I am Hispanic. When I went to school at Temple, every time I would take the Greyhound back home someone at the station would start speaking to me in Spanish. Now, at work, I have gotten many looks of confusion when, after being spoken to in Spanish, I respond in Spanish that is less than fluent. This mixed-person/Hispanic-person relationship has not just been projected onto me from other people, but, in someways, I have established it myself. As a kid I liked reading American Girl books. I liked Kirsten 'cause she was Swedish like me. I liked Addy 'cause she was Black like me. But I really liked Josefina, the Mexican girl from the early 1800s, because she looked most like me.

The straight across eyebrows help.

I say all that (and there are many, many other stories like these) because the other day when I made tostones (fried plantains), I couldn't help but think these things. I felt Hispanic. Maybe it wasn't just projected onto me but into me. Maybe that's ridiculous. Maybe all mixed people feel like this.

All this rhetoricalness is making me feel like Carrie Bradshaw, so I'm gonna cut it out and get down to business: Tostones. Make them. Here's how:

Ingredients:
Ripe black plantains
Cooking Oil
Sriracha, sour cream, and lime for serving (optional)

I got my plantains at an Asian supermarket, but I think a lot of grocery stores have them too. For tostones the plantains need to be ripe and black. So if you're me, buy them green because lord knows you're not gonna cook them right away.

Peel the plantains and slice them. The pieces should be about a half an inch thick.

Heat the oil. I used olive oil 'cause it was the only kind I had and they turned out really well with a nice flavor. So I suggest olive oil but anything would work. You want the bottom of the pan to be covered with oil. Using a lot of oil always scares me (It's just so much!), but it's necessary.

Fry them thangs til they're golden and a little crisp. Then.....

Smoosh 'em! Wax paper is what most recipes say to use, but some left over cardboard works really well because it helps to soak up some of the oil. I appropriately used a Corona box. Yikes.
Whatever you use, you wanna put the plantain slices between two pieces of it and press down. You also might want to have your door open and drink iced coffee (see picture) while you do this. I did and found that it added to the experience.

Once they're adequately smooshed, it's time to fry again. There might be enough oil left in the pan; if there isn't just add some more, this time frying the plantains until they are crisp and brown.

Let them sit on some paper towels, press some of the excess oil off, and they're all ready!

I like to eat them with Sriracha sauce. (But, I like to eat everything with Sriracha sauce.) I also tried them with sour cream and lime juice and it was really good.