Arañitas (Plantain Fritters)

I had 2 plantains left over after making some roasted sweet potato and plantain soup, so I decided to make some plantain fritters, or arañitas. Aranitas are usually made with green plantains, but I didn't have any, so I used 2 ripe plantains. Since these have a softer texture, I just sliced them up instead of grating, and it seemed to work well after mashing them slightly while mixing with the garlic. These plantain fritters are also called arañitas, which means little spiders in Spanish, and this dish is named for the appearance of spider legs from the pieces of plantain sticking out. If you want a more "spider-like" appearance, you might want to grate the plantains instead of just cutting them like I did. These aranitas are even easier to make than most other kinds of fritters because you don't have to add any extra materials to get the plantains to bind since the starch in the plantains holds everything together well. From there, you can add any seasonings or flavorings you'd like. I decided to keep it simple and just use garlic and a bit of black pepper. You then finish them off by frying a spoonful of the mixture as a time until it's crispy on both sides. These plantain fritters are great by themselves, as a substitute for fries, or as a side, and they go well with some garlic dip. But, be careful, they are addictive!

Arañitas (Plantain Fritters)

by CJ Huang

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			2	plantains, grated
			4 cloves	garlic, minced
				black pepper
				cilantro	optional - garnish

Methods:

1. Mix garlic, pepper, and plantains, along with any other desired seasonings.
2. Scoop some of the mixture out with a spoon, press it slightly flat, and then gently slide it into hot oil, being careful not to overfill the pan.
3. Allow to drain on a paper towel after it is cooked.
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve with garlic dip, if desired.