297961 Thu Jul 29 11:14:42 -0700 2004 3 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1646100 Just wondering about recipes for other plantain dishes I have had in the past. One had a name that loosely translated to "spiders" and was grated firm plantain gathered into pancakes and deep fried. I dont know if it had other ingredients. Served with a dipping sauce that may have been based on ketchup and mayo mixed together. What do you serve tostones with? Thanks. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/297935#1645890 Thu Jul 29 11:14:42 -0700 2004 0 Tdaaa 1 1646159 Serve them with anything you might otherwise accompany with french fries, if you don't want to serve them with Caribbean or southern Mexican food. They're great as a side with pork, with seafood, with jerk chicken, with Cuban *ropa vieja*, or any number of other dishes. Serve any of those with *tostones*, black bean, and rice. Have a beer or an *agua fresca* to drink. Thu Jul 29 16:49:00 -0700 2004 1646100 0 Cristina 2 1646183 Are the "spiders" just shredded fried plantain< or should they have other ingredients. I tried to replicate them once without success. Fri Jul 30 00:24:44 -0700 2004 1646159 0 Tdaaa 2 1646192 Sorry, I forgot about the spiders. Here's a recipe: _____________________________________________ Arañitas (Plantain Spiders) 2 large green plantains 1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled 6 cloves garlic, minced About 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Peel the plantains and grate on the coarse side of a hand grater or in a food processor fitted with the julienne disk. Cut the ginger into the thinnest possible slivers. Combine the plantain, ginger and garlic in a mixing bowl and toss with 2 spoons to mix. Just before serving, pour oil to a depth of at least 1 inch in a small frying pan or electric skillet, and heat to 350F. Using 2 spoons or your fingertips, form 1-inch balls of the plantain mixture and lower them into the oil. Don't pack the plantain shreds too tightly; the fritters should look spiky and lacy. Fry the spiders, turning with a skimmer or a slotted spoon, until golden brown, about 2 minutes total. Work in several batches, so as not to crowd the pan. Transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve at once Fri Jul 30 09:29:31 -0700 2004 1646159 0 Cristina