The African Mofongo Recipe has many variations and therefore it is the first choice for everyone when choosing a main course or even a side dish. Green plantains are the main ingredient that can be fried, boiled, or roasted. The Mofongo’s particular variations include vegetables, seafood, chicken, or beef which is stuffed inside or around to make a tight ball of mashed plantains.
If cooked with the perfect combination of spices, and served with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce, African Mofongo is undoubtedly a finger-licking dish for lunch or dinner.
Defining Mofongo:
African-influenced Puerto Rico cuisine is cooked from mashed unripe plantains that are mostly seasoned with chicharron or bacon and go so deliciously with broths of fish/ chicken to present it warm with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce in a mortar.
History of African Mofongo:
The history of African mofongo arouse from African Fufu with some influences from Spanish and Taino, leading to African’s Puerto Rico Mofongo where they fry or boil starchy vegetables or fruits, and later, it was transformed with different kinds of meat and spices so as you can see that this dish as known as African Mofongo is the result of successful experiments.
African Mofongo Recipe – Key Ingredients:
Being a very easy dish, the African Mofongo recipe doesn’t require more than the basic 5 ingredients that can-do magic for foodies, especially in Puerto Rico and the Dominion Republic.
- Unripe or green Plantains (4)
- Olive Oil (to fry 3-4 tbsp)
- Chicharrones or crispy bacon (1 cup or 1 lb)
- 3-4 cloves of Crushed Garlic
- Salt to taste
Steps to Traditional African Mofongo Recipe:
- Step#1: Soak peeled and cut plantains in a bowl of salted water for around 15-30 minutes. Drain on a cloth and let it pat dry.
- Step#2: Fry the plantains but keep in mind that the temperature shouldn’t exceed 370`F (medium-low heat), fry for approximately 10-12 minutes until the plantains get golden brown, and drain them (do not over-cook otherwise plantains wouldn’t be mashed because of dryness).
- Step#3: Add up the plantains, olive oil, and 3-4 cloves of minced garlic in a large bowl or mortar to mix well with a pestle or you can use the food processor instead to mix smoothly. Later, put salt and crispy bacon for seasoning.
- Step#4: Moisten the hands with olive oil, and make 3-inch balls, one for each serving.
Serving:
Serve for 4 with fried onions, pepper, and specifically Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce for the best experience of African Mofongo taste.
Key Tips to Best African Mofongo:
- Overall, the Recipe for African Mofongo needs not to cook above 370`F.
- Make a garlic paste before adding it raw in plantains (unlike if you want a Mofongo to be a little non-mashed)
- Moisten up your hands while making the mixture will lead to smooth balls.
In outline, the African Mofongo Recipe is all about kitchen-friendly 5 ingredients and 4 easy and quick steps to follow and here, the best dish for dinner is ready!
Try the African Mofongo recipe with Dingolay Jamaican Scotch bonnet hot sauce for a perfect twist in the traditional recipe.
