Fufú de Plátano (Banana Fufu)
As per the renowned Cuban folklorist Don Fernando Ortiz, the name “FuFu” for this dish has its origins in the period of British rule in Cuba. The food of the enslaved population consisted often boiled and mashed plantains, and when it was being given to them, British overseers would shout, “food, food, food!” The slaves would respond with the chant, “Fu, Fu, Fu,” which is thought to be the source of the name for this humble dish.
At its heart, banana fufu is one of the few vegan dishes in Cuban cuisine, made with delicious banana and sofrito as seasoning. It’s not a dessert as some might expect of anything containing this much banana. In fact, it’s often fried in lard and served with pork.
Fufú de Plátano (Banana Fufu)
This recipe gives you some easy steps to follow to make the traditional Fufú de Plátano with pork cracklings, the Cuban people's preferred way of serving this delicious dish.
Ingredients
- 5 green plantains
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 pound pork belly
- 1/2 red onion
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- a pinch salt
Instructions
- We'll begin preparing the dish by washing the plantain and chopping each plantain into 3-4 chunks, with the skin on.
- Place in a pot and add enough water to cover the plantain pieces, season with a little salt and add the lemon juice.
- Cook on medium heat for about 15-25 minutes, until the plantain becomes tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pork belly by cutting it into cubes. Season generously with salt (if it isn't salted already) and fry in a pan until crispy and golden. Be careful when you turn the pork belly, since the grease might splatter! Transfer them to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
- Keep about 1/2 cup of the fat from the pork belly pan and discard the rest. Add the red onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until the onions have softened and turned golden.
- Ladle about 1 cup of the water the plantains have cooked in a cup and drain the cooked plantain well. Transfer them to a bowl and peel each piece using a fork.
- Once all the skin has been removed, mash the pulp using a fork or a potato masher. Add some reserved hot water a little at a time to give the paste a smooth consistency. Mix in the fried onion, garlic and half of the amount of pork belly cracklings.
- Season as necessary and serve immediately, garnished with extra onion, cracklings and chopped cilantro!
Enjoy!
Notes
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