In brief
- Mofongo: fried green plantain mash, pounded with garlic and chicharrón (fried pork rind), a specialty of Puerto Rico.
- Origin: Puerto Rico, a heritage crossing Taíno, African and Spanish influences.
- Essential ingredients: green plantain, garlic, chicharrón, oil, salt.
- Pounded in a mortar (pilón), shaped into a dome and served with a broth or a sauce.
Origins and cultural history of mofongo
Mofongo was born from the meeting of three culinary heritages in Puerto Rico: fufu, a West African preparation made from starchy foods boiled and then pounded in a mortar, brought by enslaved people from the sixteenth century onward; the pounding technique using the pilón, a wooden mortar used by the Taínos, the island's indigenous people before Spanish colonization; and Spanish sofrito, a base of onion, garlic and chili sautéed in oil. The word mofongo is thought to come from the Kikongo mfwenge mfwenge, which refers to a large quantity of something.
The first known written recipe, under the name mofongo criollo, appears in El Cocinero Puerto Riqueño o Formulario, the first cookbook published in Puerto Rico, in 1859. The dish has since spread to the Dominican Republic, Colombia and the Puerto Rican diaspora, with variations such as trifongo (a mix of several starchy foods) or camarofongo, topped with shrimp.
What are the essential ingredients of mofongo
The traditional recipe combines fried green plantain with garlic and pork cracklings, pounded together in a mortar with a little broth to soften the mash.
- green plantain
- garlic
- chicharrón (fried pork rind)
- oil, for frying
- salt
What to know about mofongo
Mofongo is a specialty of Puerto Rico: fried green plantain pounded in a mortar with garlic, chicharrón (fried pork rind) and a little broth to soften the mixture. It is shaped into a dome and served with a broth or a sauce. There are variations, such as camarofongo, topped with shrimp.
Frequently asked questions about mofongo
Is mofongo Puerto Rican or Dominican?
Mofongo originates from Puerto Rico, where the first written recipe dates from 1859; the dish has since spread to the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean cuisines, with local variations.
What is the chicharrón used in mofongo?
Chicharrón refers to pieces of pork rind or skin fried until crispy; it gives mofongo its characteristic crunch and flavor, pounded together with the plantain and garlic.
Where to find the ingredients for mofongo in France?
NKOSI sells the garlic paste and the powdered chicken broth needed for mofongo, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
