Try Mofongo, the most beloved Puerto Rican dish (Recipe)

Mofongo is the most well known and traditional Puerto Rican dish. It is one of the most delicious savory plantain meals filled with authentic Puerto Rican flavors. It is definitely a labor of love to make, but the final dish will be so worth it.

Below is the perfect recipe to make authentic Puerto Rican mofongo.

Recipe: Mofongo

Ingredients:

• Mofongo Seasoning
• 1 cup corn oil
• ¼ green bell pepper, small diced
• ¼ red bell pepper, small diced
• ¼ red onion, small diced
• 1 package of Sazon Con Culantro Y Achiote
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• Mofongo
• 1 ½ cups corn oil
• 2 green plantains
• ⅓ cup of fried pork skins (chicharron), chopped into small size pieces

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Preparation:

STEP 1: MAKE THE MOFONGO SEASONING

1. Heat an 8” pot over medium high heat for about one to two minutes.
2. When the pot is hot, add the oil. Heat for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the green peppers, red peppers, red onions, Sazon, salt, and garlic powder and cook for 2 ½ minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
5. Turn the heat off, remove the pot from the heat and set aside.

STEP 2: MAKE THE FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS

1. Cut the ends off of each plantain. Cut about 1” off of each side of the plantain.
2. Holding one plantain at a time in your hand, cut the plantain. Carefully make about a ¼” slit with the tip of your knife, from the top of the plantain, all the way down the entire length of the plantain, to the other end. Cut along the natural curve of the plantain. Repeat until you have made four lengthwise cuts around the entire plantain.
3. Using your fingers or a spoon, gently pull the peels away from the plantain.
4. Slice the plantains into ½” straight thick slices.
5. Heat an 8” pot over medium heat for about one to two minutes.
6. When the pot is hot, add the oil. Heat for about 30 seconds.
7. Add all of the fried green plantains and fry for three minutes, until golden in color.
8. Next flip the plantains to the other side and fry for another three minutes, until the second side turns golden in color.
9. *Remove the plantains from the pot and place into a mortar.

STEP 3: COMBINE THE PLANTAINS AND MOFONGO SEASONING

1. Add the fried pork skins into the mortar and using the pestle, crush the pork skins into the plantains, creating a smooth uniform texture.
2. Place the plantain mixture into a small bowl about 5” wide, or two smaller bowls or ramekins and press into the bowl using the pestle.
3. Take 1 cup of the Mofongo Seasoning and pour into the plantain mixture, pressing into the bowl using the pestle.
4. Flip the bowl onto a plate and remove the bowl. You will have a beautiful and delicious mountain of Mofongo.
5. *If you do not have a mortar and pestle, use a small heavy bottom pot and metal spoon instead.