Mofongo
Mofongo () is a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are picked green and fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, broth, and olive oil in a wooden pilón (mortar and pestle). The goal is to produce a tight ball of mashed plantains that will absorb the attending condiments and have either pork cracklings ("chicharrón") or bits of bacon inside. It is traditionally served with fried meat and chicken broth soup. Particular flavors result from variations that include vegetables, chicken, shrimp, beef, or octopus packed inside or around the plantain orb. Origin and history. Mofongo's  roots lead to the African fufu, mixed with some Spanish and Taíno influences. Fufu is made from various starchy vegetables and was introduced to the Caribbean by Africans in the Spanish New World colonies such as Cuba "(fufu de plátano" and "machuquillo)", Dominican Republic "(mangú)", and Puerto Rico "(mofongo" and "funche criollo)" this also most likely includes Colombia "(cayeye)", Ecuador "(bolón)", Costa Rica "(angú)", Amazon region and Peru "(tacacho)". The earliest known written recipes for mofongo appeared in Puerto Rico's first cookbook, "El Cocinero Puerto-Riqueño o Formulario", in 1859. The title of the recipe is "mofongo criollo". Green  plantains are cleaned with lemon, boiled with veal and hen, then mashed with garlic, Cuban orégano, "ají dulce", bacon or lard, and ham. It is then formed into a ball and eaten with the broth which it was cooked in. In "El Cocinero Puerto-Riqueño o Formulario" there similar recipes. "Funche criollo" made from green or yellow plantains boiled with taro or yams, mashed and eaten with sesame broth soup or a sauce made from garlic, lard, tomato sauce, onions, and "ají dulce" (sofrito). Another is "plátanos verdes asados". Green plantains cooked on coal and eaten with butter or lard  and garlic. The second recipe was written in 1948 by Elizabeth B.K. Dooley in "Puerto Rican cookbook". The recipe calls for yellow plantains fried in lard, mashed with garlic, olive oil, chicarrón and formed into a ball. It would later be changed again with green plantains and half-ripe plantains fried and mashed with garlic, bacon, broth, and chicarrón in the 1950s in Puerto Rican cookbooks. Historical African slaves in Puerto Rico where given a diet of plantains, bananas, dried meat scraps, and inner meat like tripe and gizzards. Dried meat and plantains were typically boiled or roasted and mashed  together to make a staple dish known on the island as mofongo. Etymology. Central African ethnic groups that populated Puerto Rico used the technique of a mallet to mash large amounts of starchy foods. The mash was then softened with liquids and fats. The word “mofongo” stems from the Kikongo term "mfwenge-mfwenge", which means “a great amount of anything at all". Culture. Mofongo evolved from fufu using the African method with vegetation available in the Caribbean. Plantains are most often used, but other starchy roots native to the island used by Taínos can also be used. Puerto Ricans have  an obsession with fried food known collectively as cuchifrito in New York City and Kiosks in Puerto Rico. Spanish ingredients such as pork, garlic, broth, and olive oil are commonly used together in Puerto Rican cuisine and are found in staple dishes such as arroz con gandules, alcapurria, pasteles, habichuelas, recaíto, arroz junto, among others. The method of frying comes from the African side and is heavily used more than anyplace in the Caribbean. Broth is often made with chicken and sofrito. Sofrito is made with Spanish and Taíno fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Food trucks. Food trucks around Puerto Rico , Florida, New York, and other parts of the USA serve mofongo as a fast food available in food trucks. A popular version in Puerto Rico is "papas locas", crazy fries. Mofongo is placed flat in to a takeaway container layered with French fries or yam fries, shredded meat or meats, chopped onions, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuces, corn, melted cheese, and mayoketchup (fry sauce). Many vendors have their own additional toppings and condiments added to the standard toppings. A vegetarian version is possible replacing meat with eggplant. Purpose. Mofongo is widely known to Hispanics and is usually eaten in gatherings or  socializing in restaurants. Before then mofongo was concentrated to Puerto Ricans as a remedy for any sickness. It was to believe the fat from the plantains and pork was good sources to gain back weight-loss from being sick. The raw garlic and broth worked together to "clean the blood" of any toxins and kill any virus in the body. Mofongo acted as bread and was placed on the side or in a big bowl of broth. A small amount of mofongo was placed on the spoon and swallowed with lots of broth on the same spoon. This made it  easy for the sick person to eat, especially those with sore throats. Method. The name mofongo refers to cooked plantains mashed with fat (olive oil, lard, or butter), spices, and pork in a wooden mortar and pestle called a "pilón" made with mahogany or guaiacum, both native hardwoods and shaped more or less into a ball and served with broth. The mofongo is then able to absorb any juice or broth from the seared meat that is placed on top or inside of the dish. The consistency of mofongo is much more dense and stiff than fufu. While most commonly  plantains are fried there's recipes just as old in Puerto Rico with boiled or roasted plantains. A healthier version is baked plantains versus frying. Variations. It is also common in Puerto Rico to make mofongo with cassava ("mofongo de yuca"), breadfruit ("mofongo de pana"), and ripe plantain mofongo ("mofongo de amarillo"). The "bifongo" is any combination of two starches fried and mashed together. Ripe and green plantains together is the most popular choice. The "trifongo" is any combination of three starches fried and mashed together. Most popular is cassava with green and ripe plantains. But batata and breadfruit are  possible. Mofongo stuffed with shrimp (camarón in Spanish) is called "camarofongo". Thanksgiving is an American holiday that has been adopted by Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans' outside the commonwealth. Turkey is the main focus on every Thanksgiving table and is traditionally stuffed with bread. The bread stuffing can be mixed with mofongo or replaced entirely with mofongo. The dish is called "pavochon". Frito-Lay produces "MoFongo Snax", a combined plantain chips, cassava chips and pork rinds into one bag. "Mofongo relleno" is a stuffed variation of mofongo, which, according to Yvonne Ortiz, was first made in "Tino's Restaurant on  the west coast of Puerto Rico" when seafood, abundant in the region, was placed inside the plantain ball with braised meat or more seafood poured over it. Nowadays, "mofongo relleno" is commonly stuffed with either seafood, poultry, or another meat. Moca, Dominican Republic is known for making a mofongo with cheddar cheese shredded on top. It has been called "mofongo Dominicano" and "mofongo el Mocano". Although the "bolón" from Ecuadorian cuisine predate the "mofongo Dominicano". Bolón is a dish where plantains are boiled or roasted, stuffed with meat and cheese, rolled into a ball and eaten with soup. The bolón  can also be fried after it has been boiled or roasted and stuffed. A dessert mofongo has sprung up in restaurants in Puerto Rico. It consists of fried sweet plantains with fried yams, sweet potato, breadfruit, or cassava mashed with bacon, milk, spices, sugar, and butter. The dessert can be topped with ice cream, dulce de leche, severd in a sweet coconut broth with other endless possibilities. Outside Puerto Rico. During the 1960s many Dominicans who feared the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo fled to Puerto Rico and New York City. Mofongo caught on quickly with Dominicans living in Puerto Rico  and New York City. Mofongo has become a flagship food for many Dominican restaurants. The first Dominican cookbook to have a written recipe of mofongo is "Cocina Criolla", second edition by Amanda Ornes, in 1962. The recipe is called ""mafongo"" using roasted green plantains mashed with chicarrón and oil. Its did not include its signature garlic, olive oil, and broth. The name mafongo would be only appear once as a title. Whether it was the actual title or miss print is unknown. Ramona Hernández, director of the Dominican Studies Institute of the City University of New York has said, "mofongo  is a dish borrowed from Puerto Rico that has much success with Dominicans". Dominican chef Clara Gonzalez, also known as Aunt Clara, say in her cookbook, tradition Dominican cookery, "mofongo has a special place in the Dominicans' hearts and stomachs but can be traced back to Puerto Rico". Mofongo has become popular among Colombians, Cubans and Dominicans living in the United States and anywhere large numbers of Puerto Ricans or Dominicans reside. Mofongo has taken part in other cuisine. Served with Peruvian ceviche, South American churrasco and chimichurri, Cuban ropa vieja, Colombian ajiaco, Méxican salsa verde and meat, Japanese ramen , and other comparable contexts. In popular culture. Food Network chef and host Guy Fieri featured mofongo from Benny's Seafood (in Miami, Florida) and from El Bohio (in San Antonio, Texas) on two separate episodes of his show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives". He liked the dish so much that he called it the "best fried thing I ever ate" on an episode of the show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". Anne Burrell is featured in a Season 2 episode of "Chef Wanted" with mofongo as the opening dish challenge. Mofongo is also featured in Episode 7, Season 6  of the Food Network show "Beat Bobby Flay", where Bobby Flay's mofongo dish prevails over a mofongo dish prepared by Puerto Rican chef Giovanna Huyke. An episode of the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food Nation", set in Harlem, showed the host Adam Richman visiting a Spanish Harlem restaurant called La Fonda Boricua, where they make a giant 12-plantain mofongo called the "Mofongaso". Perhaps the oldest song mentioning mofongo is called "Puertorriqueño" by Joe Valle and César Concepción. Singer Ismael Rivera with conductor Rafael Cortijo sang a plena song called "Mofongo Pelao" about mofongo in 1960. He also  coined the name "mofonguito" meaning bite size or small mofongo. "" featured mofongo in Season 2, Episode 2: Puerto Rico where Bourdain and his friend Andy Diaz dine on mofongo at the beach. "That is just a tower of goodness," Bourdain said. On "Saturday Night Live", David Ortiz (a recurring impression played by Kenan Thompson) frequently refers to the dish when describing his "big lunch". Mofongo is mentioned numerous times on the NBC TV Show "Sanford & Son", when characters Fred and Lamont, (Redd Foxx and Desmond Wilson respectively) interact with their Puerto Rican neighbor Julio, (played by Gregory Sierra). Mofongo is  Javier Esposito's favourite meal in "Castle". In the PBS Kids series "Alma’s Way", Alma helps her mother make her great-grandmother's famous Mofongo. National day. Chef José Mendin, partner of actor, driver and businessman Julián Gil, at La Placita restaurant in Miami, specializing in Puerto Rican cuisine, they managed to establish World Mofongo Day. The National Day Archives organization, this is stated in a certification addressed to chef Mendin, where they proclaim September 24 of each calendar year, as a gastronomic event with mofongo, the traditional dish of Puerto Ricans.