Mofongo Recipe

Fried, mashed green plantains infused with garlic and chicharrones (fried pork skin) assembled and stuffed with a succulent tomato, garlic, onion, and shrimp sauce that will make your mouth water. What's not to love?

Course Main

Cuisine Puerto Rican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 471kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Shrimp Sauce

2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) canola oil or olive oil
½ pound (250g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Creole seasoning to taste (optional)
¼ onion, sliced
½ teaspoon (2-3g) minced garlic
½ teaspoon (1-2g) ground cumin
1 cup (256g) tomato sauce (or 2 large tomatoes, chopped)
¼ teaspoon (1g) smoked paprika
¼ cup (45g) diced bell pepper
½ cup (120ml) chicken broth, or more as needed

Mofongo

2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) olive oil or canola oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 strips bacon, fried and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 green plantains
oil for deep-frying
¼ cup (50g) chicharrones or more crumbled
2-3 tablespoon (2-3g) fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions

Shrimp Sauce

Lightly season shrimp with Creole seasoning. Heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a skillet.
Sauté the shrimp for 3-5 minutes, and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, followed by the onions, garlic, cumin, tomatoes, and paprika. Stir for about a minute or until fragrant.
Add the bell pepper and chicken broth or water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 5-7 minutes.
Toss in the shrimp, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Adjust for salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Mofongo

In a small saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of oil, followed by garlic, bacon, and salt. Sauté for about a minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Set aside.
Cut each plantain into 4-5 thick slices. Soak the slices in salt water for 15-30 minutes, then remove and dry with a paper towel.
Pour vegetable oil into a large saucepan until it is at least 1 inch deep. Heat on medium until the oil reaches 375℉ (190℃).
Gently lower the plantain slices into the oil. Fry them in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned on each side.
Use a large, slotted spoon or a similar utensil to remove the plantains from the oil. Then drain them on a paper towel.
Place about a ½ teaspoon or more of the garlic, oil, and bacon mixture into a mortar and give it a smash with a pestle.
Add the chicharrones and some salt if necessary. Then, one by one, start adding and smashing the fried plantains with the other ingredients. Once all the ingredients have just come together, and the mortar is nearly full (or has the serving amount of plantains), the mofongo is ready. Don't overdo it!
Run a knife or spatula between the mofongo and the mortar walls and place shrimp sauce in the middle.
Serve right out of the mortar or turn the mortar upside down on a serving plate and bang lightly - you will get a nice mofongo dome.
Repeat the same process with the remaining garlic, bacon, oil, and plantains until all servings are ready.

Notes

You can leave out the chicharrones if you can't find any near you or don't want them.
A potato masher works if you don't have a mortar and pestle.
Add more chicken stock if you want your mashed plantains mixture slightly loose.
Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.

Nutrition