There are few dishes in life that I have zero willpower to resist even if my life depended on it and Mariquitas Cubanas aka Plantain Chips is one of them. In fact, I usually have to make an extra batch just for myself because I eat them while I fry them and before I know it… there’s none left for my friends and family. Mariquitas Cubanas are Plantain Chips that are ridiculously easy to make and Vegan Friendly. All you have to do is slice them up nice and thin and fry them until they become crispy. Serve these at your next dinner party as an appetizer or side dish and watch your guests fall in love!
Now if you’re new to the platano game, there’s a few things you must know before you get started. Green Plantains are a starch very much like potatoes, which means they can be quite stubborn to peel. Lucky for you, I made a video that goes into detail just exactly how you can peel these starchy delights. There’s honestly more than one way to peel a Green plantain and once you find the method you prefer, you’ll become a pro. I personally, like to peel Green Plantain at room temperature with the tip of my paring knife. I urge you to be really really careful. If you like to see a step-by-step tutorial on How to Peel a Green Plantain, then visit my YouTube Channel: Made To Order.
Another important that you must remember about platanos… is that they’re a starchy veggie. By this point, you’re probably tired of me stressing this point, but you have to remember than starchy veggies will oxidize once you peel them unless you leave them water. Therefore, if you’re making a large batch of mariquitas, place them in a bowl of salty water while you finish slicing them. Or simply slice them ahead of time and leave them in the watery bowl until you’re ready to fry. There’s no need to do this if you’re frying them right away or making a small batch. Do note that you want to be EXTRA careful when frying them. You’ll want to drain the water, but still be careful since you are frying wet plantain in hot oil.
For more step-by-step instructions, visit my YouTube Channel: Made To Order and watch: How To Make Mariquitas Cubanas | Plantain Chips
Ingredients
- 3 Green Plantain Peeled
- 4 cups Cold Water
- 2 tsp salt
- Canola or Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Peel plantains and then slice thinly either by hand or by using a mandolin slicer
- Then place sliced plantain into bowl with cold water and add salt. Mix until well combined
- Continue slicing plantains and placing into water until all done
- Once the plantain are all sliced, drain water & heat up canola or vegetable oil
- Very carefully place plantains into oil
- Gently nudge plantains so that they don’t clump up together while frying
- After about 5 mins, remove plantains and drain excess oil onto a paper towel
- Once all of the plantains are fried, garnish with salt & enjoy!
Notes
Plantain chips fry fairly quickly and you can usually eyeball when they’re done. They’ll turn golden yellow and crisp up right in the oil