Mangú is a traditional Dominican dish of boiled and mashed green plantains, typically served as a breakfast staple and topped with tangy sautéed red onions. Common side foods include fried cheese, fried salami, and fried egg.
I tried Mangú!
I felt surprised about how good it was! I had never thought that something made from a type of banana could taste good served like mashed potatoes. The first time I tried it, I was at a kermés (ker-MEZ) with my church. A kermés is a fundraiser where you get the community to donate food they make at home to sell. Side note: fried cheese is amazing!
After trying mangú, I was inspired to make it for myself! I had to peel green plantains with a knife, because the skin is really tough and cannot be peeled by hand like regular bananas can. I would slice it along its long side so I did not accidentally cut the fruit on the inside. My hands got really sticky with this process! Once peeled, I cut the plantains into a few pieces and placed them in a pot to boil. Once boiled, I started mashing the plantains with a fork and added olive oil until I liked the taste of the mangú. That is the rule for cooking here! Preparing dishes "al gusto" or to your liking. When I ask people for recipes, they usually just give me a list of ingredients. When I ask how much of each ingredient to put, they look at me like I am crazy. They say that each ingredient is added "al gusto." No measuring cups or measuring spoons! The next step of making mangú is to slice and fry the red onions.
