I love Mofongo! So much so that I don’t mind peeling a bunch of plantains and getting dark stains on my fingers. Anything for my Mofonguito!
Mofongo can be somewhat unhealthy, depending on how you cook it. In Puerto Rico, the plantains are usually fried in cooking oil than mashed with “Chicharron” (pork grinds) and other yummy ingredients. This can become a problem for your waistline if you love to eat this traditional dish as much as I do.
No worries, one easy solution is cooking the plantain pieces in water instead of frying them. The plantain will still taste great and there will be no hot oil splattering on you or your clothes. Ouch! Make sure to not overcook the plantains. Doing so will cause the plantains to get “mushy” and we definitely don’t want that. You want the pieces to be tender enough to stick a fork and form into a bowl or cylinder.
You can also make it without the pork grinds and get all the flavor from the protein. Garlic and extra virgin olive oil will be your best friend when seasoning the plantain. Stay away from anything fried or high in fat like pork. Stick with lean meats, vegetables or seafood. Pair it with a nice salad, snap a pic and you are good to go! Buen provecho!