Delicious Shrimp Mofongo Recipe
Mofongo is one of Puerto Rico’s most popular dishes and has become well-known around the world, too. This delicious dish has both meat and vegetable versions and can be served with just about any protein or vegetable you like to pair it with. In this recipe, we’ll show you how to make a traditional shrimp mofongo that will be sure to impress guests at your next party!
What is shrimp mofongo?
Shrimp mofongo is a Puerto Rican food made from mashed, fried plantains (platanos) combined with chicken or seafood. It can be served alone or with garlic sauce (salsa). There are many variants of shrimp mofongo, and cooks often replace it with other types of food for variation. The recipe's name originates from three Spanish words: mo refers to materia primera, or main ingredient; fondear refers to its method of preparation, meaning to fry; and ponga means plantain. Puerto Rico is particularly known for its traditional cuisine, which also includes dishes like arroz con gandules, pasteles and alcapurrias.
Ingredients needed
1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 3 cups peeled and diced plantains (see directions), 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or fat of choice*, 2 tablespoons olive oil or fat of choice*, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. *Choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point (such as canola or extra-virgin olive oil) if using on a stovetop.
Tools needed
large bowl, cutting board, sharp knife or food processor, slotted spoon (or tongs), large skillet with lid, plate for finished dish. Ingredients: 2 cups finely chopped green plantains (1-inch chunks) 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 garlic cloves peeled and coarsely chopped 1⁄4 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons vinegar 3 tablespoons hot water 11⁄2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 cup cooked rice rinsed under cold water until completely cooled down Instructions: Add all of your plantains in a bowl along with salt and baking powder. Using a kitchen blender chop it into very small pieces (like rice), set aside. In another large bowl add your olive oil, vinegar, hot water and garlic cloves.
Serving size and calories per serving
four (4) servings per recipe; each serving has about 280 calories, 15 grams of fat and 28 grams of carbs. Easy shrimp mofongo: If you don’t want to use a food processor or blender, you can do it all by hand. Just cut and fry an onion, garlic clove and green pepper separately before frying your plantains in some hot oil with a dash of salt. When cooked, mash up your plantains in a bowl or on a cutting board, then mix in diced fried onions, garlic and pepper plus 1/4 teaspoon oregano. You can also add tomato sauce for extra flavor.
Consider cooking your mofongo with salmon instead of shrimp, or substituting spinach for half of one of your yams. This can be a great way to make sure everyone in your family gets a balanced meal, even if they don't like everything. Similarly, you could add other healthy ingredients to your dish to diversify its nutritional content—turmeric and mushrooms are good options! You can also change up which base ingredient you choose for mofongo: plantains, sweet potatoes, squash and even chestnuts can work as well. If you don't want to use two types of yam or two types of tubers, feel free to substitute white or yellow potatoes—they'll give it a slightly different texture but will still yield an excellent product.
How to make the Best Shrimp Mofongo Recipe
For most of my life, I didn’t know that Shrimp Mofongo existed – so it was a very pleasant surprise when I encountered this delicious Caribbean dish on my trip to Puerto Rico last year. Mofongo is something that comes out of the ground, and it’s made from mashed green plantains (or yucca). In its simplest form, mofongo consists of just mashed plantains and fried pork rinds with spices, but when seafood or other ingredients are added, it becomes mofongo relleno – also known as stuffed mofongo in the U.S.
Fresh mofongo
Start by cutting a green plantain in half lengthwise. Use a sharp knife and peel it well. In a large frying pan, add some vegetable oil and sauté plantains until they are browned on both sides (about 5 minutes). Then remove them from heat and let them cool down for 10 minutes. Chop them up into pieces with some skin on it. If you want smoother mofongo, you can use a food processor or ricer instead of chopping it yourself.
Coconut oil
It’s solid at room temperature and has a medium-high smoke point, which makes it ideal for frying. Plus, its scent is divine! Use it in stir-fries, add it to soups or salads, or even just drizzle it over some roasted veggies.
Garlic powder
We all love garlic, but sometimes a recipe calls for more than a single clove. Powdered garlic is an easy substitute in any recipe that calls for minced or crushed garlic. You can add it before or after cooking; either way, you’ll avoid making your hands smell like you picked your nose after lunch. It also has a longer shelf life than fresh garlic—about eight months as opposed to just two—so it’s great if you forget to use up your supply at home.
Coconut milk
For most of my cooking, I use canned coconut milk rather than fresh coconut milk. The reason is that when I buy a whole coconut, it invariably has more liquid in it than I want for one recipe. Making fresh milk using a blender can take some time; plus, you can only get about 1/4 cup at a time out of a fresh coconut, whereas canned coconut milk has about as much in one can as you need for many recipes (depending on how liberal you are with your measuring). For example, if I'm making Thai curry paste and need two cups of chopped cilantro leaves and stems, there's no way I'm squeezing three coconuts to make it.
Tomato sauce
You can’t have mofongo without tomato sauce, and you don’t want to try. You can do it all in one pot if you want – just cut up some plantains, fry them until they’re nice and brown on all sides, add chicken broth (or water), let them cook down a bit with some garlic and onions. While that simmers away, peel and devein some shrimp then throw those bad boys in there with some cilantro and oregano for good measure. Let it simmer for about five minutes or so until your shrimp are cooked through then use an immersion blender or regular blender to get rid of any extra chunks.
Almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts
Which nuts are better for you? : In some ways, nuts (especially almonds) seem like they should be healthier than peanuts. However, they’re not necessarily always better for you. To find out which nuts are best, it’s important to understand how certain kinds of good fats—namely monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—can affect your body.
Red pepper flakes
The crushed red pepper is a common ingredient in Latin American cooking, explains Stephanie March. A little bit goes a long way—add as much or as little as you want based on your spice preference. Plus, studies show that red pepper flakes can help relieve heartburn, bloating and other gastrointestinal issues caused by IBS—which is why it’s one of our 10 Solutions for Tummy Troubles.
If you want your mofongo cooked well, it’s important to season it heavily. Add salt and pepper as well as other spices (like garlic powder or hot sauce) that you think would complement your dish. If you don’t want a spicy dish, be careful with what seasonings you add. You should use about 1⁄4 cup of salt for every two cups of plantains when seasoning them for mofongo. Also remember not to add any more oil or butter once they’re on the stove because they will start to absorb whatever flavors are around them. Lastly, keep in mind that mofongos can be either savory or sweet—the choice is yours!
Unsalted food is like garbage
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