Move over cereal! I like my breakfast of champions. This mangu de platano recipe serves one person. Increase quantity to one plantain per person for more people.
What is the origin of the word “mangú”?
Legend has it that during the first American occupation of the Dominican Republic, American troops were fed the divine boiled green plantain mash, about which they exclaimed: “Man… good!” while pointing to the plantains. Dominicans listening thought “man…gu” was the English name for the dish, so they started using it. It seems that this very Dominican word might be an Americanism. Or, the word could have come with the African slaves that populated the island after the extermination of the native Tainos, following the Spanish colonization of Quisqueya.
The Dominican breakfast of champions includes Dominican salami. Since I can’t get it where I live, I’m using bacon.
If you have not done it before, watch a short video to learn how to peel a green plantain.
Mangu de platano recipe
Ingredients
- 1 green plantain
- 1/2 tablespoon of butter
- 3 cups of water
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
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Peel one green plantain.
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Once peeled, cut it in half vertically and then horizontally, until you are left with 4 smaller pieces.
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In a small pan boil the water.
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Add the plantain and the salt. Let the plantain boil until soft (20 minutes to 1/2 an hour).
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Once done, place on a deep plate.
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Add two teaspoons of the hot water and the butter.
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Mash with a fork until plantains are soft and butter has disappeared into them.
Recipe Notes
Plantains tend to harden quickly, so add two teaspoons of cold water and mash it into the mangù, so it will remain soft. Cold milk will do the trick too.
Optional but extremely yummy: on a frying pan, add a table-spoon of cooking oil and let it heat. Chop half a small white/red onion in thin and long slices. When the oil is hot, add the onions, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a teaspoon of vinegar. Serve over the plantains.
Huevos revueltos – Scrambled eggs:
Chop half an onion, two cloves of garlic, half a red bell pepper and spinach (add other veggies if you like – tomatoes, mushrooms, kale also go well with eggs). Heat one table-spoon of cooking oil on a frying pan, add veggies and stir until tender but still crisp. Add two eggs beaten with a table-spoon of milk and salt to taste. Stir until eggs have the consistency you like. Serve.
Bacon:
Cook bacon as you normally would.
This breakfast goes great with orange juice and coffee. This mangu de platano recipe with my “breakfast of champions” is one I plan to pass on to my daughter. Enjoy!
i love mangu its the best food ever!!!!!……..
im puertorican and i gotta say that dominican food is the best!!
××× puertoricans dont know how to koock dominicans do×××
I’ve had plenty of great Puerto Rican food. It’s all one big family of Caribbean yumminess.