Deep Fried Love

So some of you might have read that Anita's A Mad Tea Party is celebrating its first anniversary. If you haven't then you need to head on over and read two excellent posts where she rants writes about moderation and how we define ourselves by what the latest food and fashion trends are. Anita wants us all to make puri bhaji. Deep fried love. I will. I promise. It's just that I had plantains that were threatening to ripen and I really wanted to make tostones, with an Indian twist. And, it is deep fried!

Tostones (Plantain chips)


My Puerto Rican friend introduced me to tostones last year. Until then, I was clearly a plantain-hater. My exposure to plantains was fried ripe plantains and those, in my book, were simply awful. The only other thing that was more awful was cooked ripe bananas, kela nu shaak.

Plantains are larger than bananas and have a thicker and fibrous skin. The fruit at the very top in the picture below is a regular banana. Next is the green unripe plantain and then a ripe plantain. The plantains in my picture are a little smaller and slimmer than most.


  • 2 unripe or underripe plantains
  • oil to deep fry
  • 2-3 cups of cold water
  • salt to taste
  • chaat masala to taste
  • red chilli powder, optional
  1. Heat oil in a kadhai on medium-high heat.
  2. While it is heating, wash and peel the plantains under running water. This makes it easier to peel and ensures that your hands don't get stained.
  3. Slice the plantain at about a 30 degree angle and about 1/4 inch in thickness. (For tostones, cut at a 45 degree angle to make long slices that are about an inch thick)
  4. Deep fry the plantain slices , a few at a time, without crowding the oil. Fry both sides till it is just starts to brown.
  5. Remove and press with the bottom of a plate or a round wooden paratha press. If the plantain chips are already crisp and start cracking when you press them, skip this step.
  6. Drop them in cold water and drain properly on paper towels. Start frying your next batch at this point.
  7. Sprinkle the soaked chips with salt and return to the oil. Fry each side till they are crisp and golden-brown.
  8. Sprinkle with chaat masala and red chilli powder and serve as a yummy snack with hot tea.



I didn't get a chance to pour the tea. If I hadn't sneaked them to the patio, I might not have had a picture to show and tell. They were gone far too quickly. Next time, I will get bigger plantains, and fry them when certain people are in school.

So, Anita, while these are not puris, they certainly fit your deep fried theme and that's what I am bringing to the party! Whether you like it or not!

Awards


Who doesn't love awards?! I love them! So I was thrilled when Meeta of What's For Lunch, Honey? gave me not one, but two awards! Yay!

The Thoughtful Blogger Award is for "those who answer blog comments, emails, and make their visitors feel at home on their blogs. For the people who take others' feelings into consideration before speaking out and who are kind and courteous. Also for those bloggers who spend so much of their time helping other bloggers design, improve, and fix their sites. This award is for those generous bloggers who think of others."

I would like to pass this award to
Ashwini of Food for Thought
Roopa of Kitchen Aromas
Argus Lou of Argus World
Suganya of Tasty Palettes

The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who "effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don't limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."

Gini of Salt and Pepper
Roopa of My Chow Chow Bhath
TBC of The Budding Cook
TC of The Cooker

Cynthia of Tastes Like Home gave me this special rockin' award! I am overwhelmed!

Mythili of Vindu
ET of Evolving Tastes
Shankari of Stream of Consciousness
Kitt of The Kittalog

I could go on and on but most of you have already received these awards, acknowledged them and passed them on.

These awards are special to me in several ways. New and special friendships have been forged through virtual interactions on our respective blogs. I have learned so much about different types of world cuisines, and needless to say, regional Indian cuisine, too. All of you in your own special way contribute tremendously to make the Internet experience a healthy and happy one. I couldn't be happier. Thank you all very much!

It's the last week of summer before school starts next week. I am also getting busier at work, with more responsibilities and a new project that I can't stop thinking about. Posts are going to be fewer and in-between here on Indian Food Rocks until I have a more settled 4th grader and things have calmed down some at work. I will, of course, see you all on your blogs!

Update: It's raining awards in the blogosphere! Bee and Jai gave me The Thinking Blogger Award! I am flattered and yes, I do like to think once in a while!

So, to spread the love around, I am passing this award to
The tireless team at The Daily Tiffin
RP of My Workshop
Priya of Priya's Kitchen (so what if she likes deep fried ripe plantains?!)
Mandira of Ahaar
Sree of Sree's Canvas

It doesn't matter how long you have been blogging or if you burst onto the scene just yesterday. These awards are for who you are, how you have reached out to the community and made your presence felt in innumerable ways.

Congratulations to all of you and I wish you deep success in everything you do! Now, please go ahead and spread the love. And it must be deep fried! Just like this:


Happy Independence Day, India!

39 comments:

Ashwini said...

Hey Manisha...I was getting so envious of all the bloggers who had received these awards. I know, pretty childish of me ;-)
Thank you so much for passing it to me. And I share your hatred for platains...but that bowl on the patio table looks delicious. Dont blame Medha at all!

bee said...

congratulatons. you have another award waiting to be picked up.

Anita said...

Double fried chips! That is a wonderful dish to bring to the party. Thanks! I'm loving this - I get some plantain and leave them to ripen. I will.

But, you didn't make enough for all! Just two (small) plantains!

Come, now - make some poori/puri whatever. You've still gotta cook. And eat too. :-D Please, please?

And, best of all, you don't even have to write a recipe!!!

Pelicano said...

Oh those look marvelous Manish...I'm going to run out of chaat masala and be forced to grind my own soon. Ever have the Thai battered ones with sesame-seeds with the chile sauce for dipping?

You don't like the fried ripe ones? I had 'em first time south of the border, and then started making them now and then for breakfast on Sundays; So good with honey and cinnamon...I wait until they are pretty black for those... :-D I guess that kind of goes hand-in-hand with ripe jackfruit doesn't it? [pats her shoulder and feigns a look of pity]

musical said...

Fabulous-fried and masaledaar, what else does one want with chai! i love the title, Manisha :).

And congratulations for the awards!

Pav said...

Whee!!!
An award .. for me ?? That too hinting that I rock !! I ?? Me ??
Whoa !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much. hehehehe...
Very good "pick me up" indeed.

Hugs,
Myths

Gini said...

Manisha, thanks so much for the award.
The plantains look yum and I can only imagine how good they tasted with the chat masala and chili powder.

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Lovely idea for the plantain chips. Unfortunately we hardly ever get them here.
Manisha, in my opinion you really deserve both the awards as you are caring and considerate to all other bloggers and also take the time - going out of you way to help them. You deserve them!

Roopa said...

When i saw the number of bloggers awarded i never thought i would soon be it is only months since i became very active in this community. i am blushing...he he Thanks so much for passing on ! and i would say you deserve those awards rightly for those wonderfull writup....
lovely and delicious yumm i love fried plaintain chips...

Kitt said...

Wow, I'm honored! Thank you!

I love reading your blog, and I'm looking forward to lots more great posts once things settle down for you again (and the weather cools off!).

TBC said...

First, congrats !! You really deserve both your e-awards.This is one blog where I love to read not just the posts but also every single comment & your response ! :-)
Now, moving onto me....Yay!! It's official! I'm a Schmoozer :-)
Thanks a whole lot for including me too, Manisha. It feels so good.I am not sure if I even deserve it as my blog is only over a month old.But this has made me so happy.Thank you very much!

Your tostones look good. We make something similar called "pazham pori"

evolvingtastes said...

Whoa, what a fun start to the day. Thank you for the award, that's huge when I still consider myself fledgeling. Now off to prepare my speech..

Before that, Tostones with a chaat masala - yumm, yummmm. Sounds great.

Mandira said...

Manisha, that is a long list of awards... well deserved too I must say :) the chips look delicious.

Mrs. K said...

You still hate plantains? Didn't you try any ammini recipes?
Congrats on the award.
And the plantain chips are pure kerala snack. ;)

TheCooker said...

Congrats on your awards...richly deserved.
Now sure if I deserve mine...am still quite a rookie.
Thanks all the same! Can't resist a 'You like me. You really like me' (a la Ms. Field).

Suganya said...

Awww.. Manisha.. Thats sweet of you. But I am so new to the blogging world and not sure whether I really deserve this. But a big Thank you for passing this on to me. You and my awards have a connection, I guess;)

Indian Food Rocks said...

Ashwini, not childish at all! We all love awards - sometimes they come as badges we can display on our blogs but most of the time they are staring right back at us through the eyes of our loved ones.

If you hate plantains, you have to try this with unripe plantains. It's very like our banana chips, just a little starchier.


Bee, thanks! I updated my post and passed it on to other bloggers who think!

Anita, they're yum! Two unripe plantains is all I had. I give each veggie/fruit I detest a second and third chance. I brought ridgegourd home twice but experienced the same feeling each time. I had no clue why till Jyotsna of The Cook's Cottage noted that it is called dodka in Marathi. (Khis bai, khis; dodka khis; dodkya chi phod lagli goad...who know the rest of it?)

You start calling it puri and I will make it tonight. Or tomorrow. I am so crazily busy that recipes are not going to be forthcoming from me in quite a while!

I was even chastised by Amy the Soap Crone that I don't have a recipe for naan on my blog. She makes naan regularly and on the stovetop,that too!


Pel, the Puerto Ricans have tostones with a garlic in oil dip called mojo. The rate at which the chips were disappearing, I knew there was no point in even thinking about making mojo. I haven't have Thai plantains - are they ripe? Somehow I have an aversion to sweet ripe fruit that is cooked. Except for sasav, made with ripe mango in a coconut sauce. Yum! So yup! Relegated to the same place as jackfruit.:-D

Musical, if you weren't being showered with awards, I would have given you some, too. Cos you are very much the wonderful hostess! And what knowledge of food! I can't even begin to pronounce some of the names you rattle off, and you know how they are made! Hats off to you, lovely lady!

Mythili, of course you rock! You were the first person who came to mind! I am sure you'll get more awards from other bloggers, too. Your energy and enthusiasm are very infectious!

Gini, I am going to try your ripe plantains recipe and see if that changes my mind about cooking ripe plantains. I can't tell you how much I love your blog!

Meeta, you are the sweetest! You totally made my day when you gave me those two awards. Thank you so very much! You have no idea how much of a difference you make - you are like the proverbial breath of fresh air!

Roopa, only months? That's old in Internet years! Like I said in my post, this does not have much to do with how long you've been blogging. It's about you and how you are a part of this community of bloggers. In fact, there are several people I'd like to give the awards to that don't even have blogs but are active on our blogs.

Kitt, you rock! I love reading about you and Sophie Do you know that until I met Brockley, my friend's poodle, I thought poodles were small dogs? Do you really think it will cool off soon? It was officially 98F in Denver yesterday. I hope Al Gore is wrong, wrong, wrong but it doesn't seem like it!

TBC, of course you're a schmoozer! And the age of your blog has nothing to do with it! I see your comments on so many blogs and I love your style! You are The Budding Cook, after all!

ET, fledgling in blogging maybe but not in the world of food, certainly. Looking forward to your speech. Make sure there is something deep fried with it when you share your love!

Mandira, thank you and guess what? You're on the list, too! Have fun with it!

RP, first Shahrukh now plantains. What next, right? You already know about jackfruit, I hope! Ammini's recipes are what I want to try next. First, I had to make tostones! My Kerala genes kicked in when I first had them! I wonder how they would taste fried in coconut oil? Sinful?

And, congrats to you, too! You have an award, too!


TC, rookie or not, that methi bhaat you just posted certainly deserves raves! I can't wait to try it. And, of course, I really really really really like you! It's well-deserved for you, too!

Suganya, I hadn't thought of it that way at all!! That is hilarious! But you definitely deserve it!

As do so many others that I haven't listed here. I would love to give an award to every single blogger out there for the difference that you make!

Group hug, people! (Um, OK! Who is that who didn't shower today?!)
;-)

bee said...

me. i don't shower often. i'm all about conserving water and soap.

Cynthia said...

You rock on, thinking, thoughtful, schmoozing blogger!

Plantains, what a pleasure. (pleasureable sigh)

Anita said...

"...who knows the rest of this" would have rhymed, you know!

I too give most things (and people) a second chance - everything deserves that! Else kata chi amti, patal bhaji,in fact most Marathi and Gujju food that has been sweetened, would have been relegated to that pile of yours. With the result I cannot think of anything that I don't like! Not only that, I actually love the aforementioned dishes!

Thanks for putting in a word with ET - she found the time to fry (and post)!

Please, make puri (you sure it doesn't become closer to puree this way?)...there's no Party without you (I too have the schmoozer award, you know!)

Mrs. K said...

Woohoooo I am here to pick up the award.. Wow! I am so thrilled. Was it already here when I left my previous comment? Thank you so much, Manisha. You are so thoughtful.
Initially I thought the award was given by some award committee.. Now it sounds like a meme? you get an award, and give to few others.. Is that how it works? Sounds great! Now I do need my thinking cap to figure who should I pass it on. :D

And what mark are you talking about? This one on my right arm? Oh, I got it while I was in high school. I was ironing my dad's shirt, and my arm accidentally touched the iron box.. The mark is still here.:) How did you get yours?

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

Award, for moi! Oye! Gracias mucho Señora! I'll proudly display it on my blog soon :)
What, a deep fried party is on? I'll go visit Anita and maybe will bring some pakoras..only if it were to rain, like the Indian monsoon...!

Sree said...

Manisha, Congrats on all your awards! You deserve every single one you got and a whole lot more. If i could, i would create, the "Most patient Blogger" Award and give it to you right away:D Thanks for passing on an award to me, i am really touched.

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Manisha, on behalf of my team and myself from the Daily Tiffin, we really thank you!
I think I speak for all the lovely ladies on the team we really appreciate the award. It's not always easy to come up with themes but I think we are all doing such an incredible job. Kudos to all my lovely ladies LOL!

Anita said...

Happy Independence Day to you, Manisha! You even hoisted the flag!

3 kinds of puris - my turn to look for adoption!

Beautiful! I'm so glad you came to the Party with all these wonderful deep fried goodies!

Rahin said...

hey manisha congratulations !!!! its gud that people appreciated and acknowledged ur efforts, u deserve all these awards.

Happy Independence Day !!!

n keep up the gud work :)

indosungod said...

Manisha, those some yummy plantain chips you have there. I see it is raining awards here. Congrats to you for receiving them and to all that have been awarded.

Hooray those pooris are going to rock the party.

Shilpa said...

These chips looks so good. Dipping them in water after frying is very new to me. We usually make a mixture of water+salt+turmeric and pour a tea spn in the hot oil itself while frying the chips. I will have to try the chaat masala next time. My pachi uses "paade lavan"(rock salt) to sprinkle on these and i love it. I am sure chat masala would take these chips to a whole new level.

Congrats on the awards. You really deserve them :).

Mansi said...

Well, congrats on all those awards!! You really deserve them! I feel a little jealous, but more happy:) makes me feel encouraged to write better on my blog...

-Mansi
http://funnfud.blogspot.com

Molly said...

Congratulations Tai for the awards and you truly deserve them...the chips look wonderful and the puris so puffed up every more..:))Yummmmmm....

Srivalli said...

Manisha...that lady with the flag is rocking...and as your name goes..you rock too....you amply deserve the awards...great show....

I hope your daughter settles fast so that you can get back to blogging...

Srivalli
www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com

Srivalli said...

Manisha...I actually went back to read the recipe again...that sounds great...we also prepare it in similar way...banana or plantain..we simply love it...I understand your aversion...its like the SRk thing..the more you see it, better it gets...:)...Please check out priya's Palam puri...fritters made with ripe banana...yummy ones..when we went to kerala...we had this for all 4 days we stayed there...and we make it at home too....wow..all this talk on this makes me want to make it right away...thanks to you..hahah....but take my word...its a treat...

Srivalli
www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com

Padma said...

Hey congrats on those awards, I am so sorry that I missed your prev post, forgot to include in the rss...You deserve all those awards... n plaintain fries look yummy, did u try slicing the plaintain lengthwise and frying them, thats saves time!

bee said...

those puris are perfect. your lemon pickle is ready and perfect with urad dal puris.

Rajesh &Shankari said...

Thank you for thw awrd. I have been pretty low key for sometime now. coz of personal stuff. It is my hubs who has been posting. It made my day Manisha :) thank u thank u

neroli said...

Manisha, thank you for this deep-fried love: one of the best kinds :)!
I've already been the happy one to benefit from your kitchen vis-a-vis your lime pickle; I can't wait to add this to my happy experience.
Thank you so very much!

Rajesh &Shankari said...

Aww Manisha! No you did not pressurise me at all. I am just trying to not concentrate on the illness and do something I love. Yeah I am continuing to give classes, it is twice a month. It is a fulfilling activity when we are able to spread the word on Indian food and show them that it does not have to be spicy.

Rajesh &Shankari said...

what is your email id Manisha?

Raaga said...

I do remember I came to your blog earlier... but if I'm wrong - hello :-)

lovely stuff... I've been reading the archives slowly :-)