Make Abuela Cecilia’s Mofongo

Get ready to fry your plantains. Pour the frying oil into a frying pan so that it's ½ inch deep. Set the pan over medium heat.

While the oil gets hot, peel the plantains. Using a sharp knife, cut off the ends, and then carefully make two to three slits down the length of the plantain. This will make the tough peel easier to remove, but you may still want to loosen the peel with your fingers a bit before handing it off to your child to finish peeling. Plantain peel can be tough to remove! Your child can then peel the plantains with their own fingers.

Slice the peeled plantain into ½ inch thick rounds. Ask your child what they notice about the plantain, such as, “Does it share any similarities with other fruits you’ve eaten?”

Now it’s time to fry the plantains! Once the frying oil is hot, carefully add the sliced plantains using tongs or a fork. Invite your child to observe the plantains from a safe distance as they sizzle. You’ll want them to turn a bright golden color, but if they begin to brown they’ll be difficult to mash. After about 5 minutes, flip each slice, and fry for another 5 minutes, just until they feel tender when poked with a fork. Remove them from the oil onto a paper towel to cool.

While the plantains cool, prepare the garlic. Help your child remove the skin from the garlic cloves. About a clove per plantain is standard, but some people like more, and some less. As your child peels, smell the garlic together and talk about dishes they’ve enjoyed containing garlic.

It’s time to mash mofongo! This is a great job for your child to do on their own. Start by putting one clove in your bowl or mortar, and sprinkle with salt. Using a potato masher, fork, or pestle, mash the salt into the garlic until fragrant. Add a few warm plantain slices and continue to mash, adding about a teaspoon of olive oil. Each time you add slices, be sure to add a little more olive oil, to keep the mofongo moist. If you’re using chicharrones, add as many as you’d like during this step.

Feel free to taste-test the mofongo along the way! Share your own preferences with your child, and encourage them to share their own. Enjoy learning the ways you might differ in taste.

The mofongo is done when it can hold the shape of a ball. To serve, have your child press the mixture into a ramekin or a small bowl, then flip it over onto a plate. Remove the ramekin or bowl, and enjoy! Discuss the flavors, smells, texture, and look of the mofongo with your child. Would they like it with more salt or fewer chicharrones? Try to find out if they’d prepare the mofongo differently next time, or if they like it just the way it is.