On a scale from “I do not eat that” to “I can’t live without them,” how much do you like plantain?
In my country, the Dominican Republic, plantain is ALL OVER the place! We eat it green, ripe, boiled, fried, baked, and mashed… More recently, it has been added to food with foreign influences to create delicious “fusion cuisine,” Many chefs are getting creative with the possible ways of making the best out of this popular crop.
Each family has its secret for juicy and crunchy fried plantain! In mine, it is to fry them twice, and between them, the plantain is passed through a bath of salty water that adds an extra kick of flavor.
On a recent trip to Mao, a city found in the Cibao Region (northern part of my country), I was served these plantain baskets. And I remembered how yummy they are, how cool they looked, and how they make for a perfect and creative snack/appetizer, so I decided to share them with my beloved community of Local Guides.
For you to understand, it would be like a mix between @Nosaint2_Rafael_Fe 's post about the Caribbean tostones (he wrote from Puerto Rico, our sister island) and the Basket Chaat posted by @DibyenduGuha .
I have seen these plantain baskets filled with avocado, with meats like “chicharrón” (fried pork skin) or sautéed veggies. While I have not made them myself, I enjoy eating this fun dish. Out of curiosity, I searched how they are made and found an easy trick which I want to share with you: after you cut and smash the plantain, fry them as usual and let it cool a bit. Then, use the lemon squeezer to get the partially rounded shape automatically. To avoid breakage, it is suggested to use plastic film or aluminum foil.
Have you eaten this? Would you try it at home? Is there any recipe or dish such as this one? I read you in the comments! 
