Recipe: Tostones De Platano (Fried Green Plantains)

TOSTONES DE PLATANO

3 green plantains (medium to large)
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 cups of water
1 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of ketchup or olive oil & chopped garlic sauce(optional)
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise (optional)

Peel and cut plantains in 1 inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of water to the bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of powdered garlic. Soak plantain slices for approximately one hour. In a 10" skillet, heat 1 cup of olive oil then add drained plantain slices to fill the bottom of the pan. Lightly brown slices on one side for about 5 minutes then turn over and brown the other side (for approximately 3 minutes). Remove the plantain slices from pan and flatten each slice into circles, again, using the tostonera. After flattening the slices, place the circular pieces back into the frying pan and heat for another 3 minutes. Remove the tostones from the frying pan and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel (to soak up the excess oil).