Bolón de Verde (Ecuadorian Green Plantain Dumplings)
Local name: Bolón de verde
In short: Green plantains boiled and mashed with butter, wrapped around cheese and fried until crisp outside and soft inside, a coastal breakfast. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Bolón de verde is the classic coastal breakfast, sold in corner shops from early morning and eaten with strong black coffee. Green plantains are boiled and mashed into a firm, slightly stretchy dough, wrapped around a cube of cheese and fried until the outside turns crisp and golden. Inside, the bolón stays soft and starchy. Eat it hot with a spoonful of hot sauce, a fried egg on the side, or a little pickled onion.
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the plantains, slit the skin lengthwise and pry it off with your fingers or the tip of a knife. Cut each plantain into 4 chunks.
- Boil the chunks in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, until very tender when pierced. Drain well.
- Mash the hot plantains with the butter and salt until smooth, leaving a few small lumps. A potato masher or a fork works well.
- With damp hands, divide the mash into 8 portions. Flatten one portion in your palm, press a cheese cube into the center, close the dough around it and roll into a smooth ball about 7 cm (3 in) across.
- Heat the oil in a skillet to 170°C (340°F), or until a pinch of dough sizzles steadily. Fry the bolones in two batches for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until deep golden all over.
- Drain on paper towels for a minute and serve hot with coffee and hot sauce, while the cheese is still soft.
Tips
- Use plantains that are fully green and hard. Yellowing ones are sweeter and make a sticky dough that tears when shaped.
- For more flavor, stir a spoonful of finely chopped scallion or onion, softened in a little butter, into the mash before shaping.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between bolón and tigrillo?
Tigrillo is a scramble of mashed green plantain stirred with eggs, cheese and onion in a pan. Bolón is a shaped ball that is fried. Both are coastal breakfasts.
Can I bake bolones instead of frying them?
Yes, brush them with oil and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes, turning once. They will be drier and less crisp than fried ones.
Can I make bolones ahead of time?
Shape them up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature before frying so the cheese melts evenly.
How long does it take to make Bolón de Verde (Ecuadorian Green Plantain Dumplings)?
About 1 h in total: 30 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bolón de Verde (Ecuadorian Green Plantain Dumplings)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 11 g of protein, 49 g of carbohydrates and 31 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g |
| Fat | 31 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 750 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
