This recipe for plantain arañitas (fritters) will be one of your new favorites. Crispy, tasty, easy to make, and perfect for every occasion.
Why we ❤️ it
How I got to these arañitas de plátano is a road with many curves.
The idea for these Plantain and Onion Fritters first came to me in my summer visit to Berlin. What does this dish have to do with Berlin?
Allow me to introduce you to Kartoffelpuffer [1] (also known as Reibekuchen and Kartoffelpfannkuchen), a classic German dish that I tried atop the iconic TV Tower in Berlin. It reminded me of Latkes, and I am sure somebody smarter already knows if there is a connection, but I loved these amazing fritters.
And then I wondered... Could I make them with plantains instead of potatoes?
I tried, I experimented, and here we are. It did work. While clearly not tasting exactly like the potato version (as should be obvious), the crispy, "oniony" fritters were pretty amazing.
Puertorican arañitas de plátano
And writing the introduction to the recipe, I discovered that a similar dish already exists in Puerto Rico [2]. So, there I was in the kitchen, inventing the wheel again.
The difference between these and the Puerto Rican arañitas is that this one contains several extra ingredients (like the dishes that inspired it). The ones from Puerto Rico are a bit simpler in their preparation.
About this recipe
As I explained at the beginning, the inspiration for this dish is the German potato fritter, from which I borrowed several of the methods, and which result in arañitas that are a little different from the Puerto Rican ones, with many flavors that that one doesn't have. Try them and you will see why I liked them so much. The result is like a crispier fried plantain (tostones).
Recipe
[Recipe + Video] Plantain and Onion Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 plantain (green, unripe)
- 1 large red onion, [7.08 gr]
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons of chopped chives
- 2 cup oil for frying
Instructions
Grating: Grate plantains and onions with the coarse side of the grater.
Combining: Combine the grated plantain and onion. Mix in egg, salt, and chives.
Frying: Heat the oil over medium-high heat 350 °F [177 °C]. Scoop two tablespoons of the plantain mixture into the oil, fry 3 or 4 at a time so the oil doesn't get too cool. Once golden brown on one side, flip and fry until golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
References
- Kartoffelpuffer: German Potato Pancakes
- Arañitas de Puerto Rico
