Marranitas or Puerquitas are a popular appetizer from the Pacific zone of Colombia. Just because we call them appetizers, doesn’t mean you can only serve them as a snack or before a meal. As a matter of fact, if you eat six of these marranitas, you are not going to have any room for dinner 
Marranitas literally traslate as “little pig girls” and are fried green plantains stuffed with chopped chicharrones. I know, I know, this is not exactly diet food, but they are absolutely delicious. We Colombians, don’t think about diet when we are eating our Colombian fritters 
Buen provecho!
Ingredients
(12 marranitas)
Vegetable oil for frying
2 green plantains, peeled and cut into 12 chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicharrones, finely chopped
Salt
Directions
Fill a large skillet with vegetable oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 365F.
Place the crushed garlic in salted water and set aside.
Carefully add the plantain chunks to the heated oil and fry them for 4 minutes on each side. Remove the plantains from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb oil.
Let the fried plantain chunks cool for 2 minutes. Then put the plantain chunks between 2 plastic bags and and flatten, pressing with a cutting board to 1/4″ inches tickeness.
Dip the flattened plantains in the garlic water and place them on your hand and place some chicharrones in the middle and form a ball to enclose the chicharrones. Then smooth them with your hands. Repeat with the remaining plantains.
Carefully place them in the hot oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden on all sides.
Using a slotted spoon remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and transfer to a serving plate.
Related posts:
Tangled Noodle
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 9:31 AM:
Oh, let’s not talk about diets and just enjoy these! Lisa of Lisa Is Cooking posted about jibaritos – sandwiches made with plantains – and now your recipe. I’m convinced that I need to pick up some plantains soon.
Miss Meat and Potatoes
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 10:23 AM:
Oh my gosh these look so good!! Plantains are my favorite and pork belly is my husband’s – what a perfect treat!
5 Star Foodie
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 10:30 AM:
Plantains balls with pork belly stuffing! Wow! That sounds incredible and a must try for sure!
Baking is my Zen
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 11:38 AM:
My mom makes a version of these…oh soooo good!
Lyndsey
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 11:57 AM:
They look wonderful! I love eating appetizers for a meal. I have some plantains, but I don’t think they’re green anymore, hehe! I love all checking all your delicious recipes!
Kim
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 12:59 PM:
“little pig girls” what a cute name! They look delicious. I bet I could eat at least six of them:D
Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 1:50 PM:
These look so yummy, Erica! No wonder why they are so popular!
Cynthia
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 1:59 PM:
I have friends coming over this weekend and I am going to make these! Thank you for such an excellent recipe!
Erica
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 3:59 PM:
Thank you guys!
Blond Duck
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 6:29 PM:
Those look much better than fried mushrooms or jalepenos!
Joan Nova
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 8:02 PM:
Ay, que rico! Every once and a while it’s good to eat fried pork, especially when it’s encased in plantains.
Joy
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 10:16 PM:
Wow! These look just so wonderful and exciting! I want to try one. Now!
Oysterculture
on Mar 10th, 2010
@ 10:38 PM:
Oh my goodness, you’ve gone and done it. I could see myself making a batch of these beauties and than not being able to share. They look incredible!
Bo
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 2:15 AM:
I bet I could eat way more than six of those!
MaryMoh
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 3:08 AM:
Erica, these look so irresistibly good! Beautiful combination of plantains and pork….yum. I would love to try these. Thanks for sharing.
grace
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 6:14 AM:
balls stuffed with belly. erica, this rocks. what a unique and flavorful combination of foods!
Carla
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 7:23 AM:
What an interesting recipe for green plantains. I can just taste them through the picture. Thanks for the link to the filling so we can give these a try.
Joanne
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 7:34 AM:
Fried plantains and pork belly? Can there be a more divine combination? Doubtful.
Erica
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 7:43 AM:
Thank you everyone for the comments!
norma
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 9:51 AM:
Erica: sooo goood…..they remind me of my platano empanadas con picadillo
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 3:27 PM:
Oh wow, these look like very delectable little bites!
Sabrina
on Mar 11th, 2010
@ 3:57 PM:
Que cosa mas deliciosa! Toda las comidas de nuestro pais son lo mejor! Gracias por la receta. Saludos!
tasteofbeirut
on Mar 13th, 2010
@ 1:09 AM:
I have never heard of the garlic in water method! How interesting! I will have to try it; the fritters sound so good I would like some for breakfast even.
Erica
on Mar 13th, 2010
@ 2:54 PM:
Thank you! I truly appreciate all your comments
mari
on Jun 2nd, 2010
@ 10:28 AM:
hello erica,
i tried doing them a couple days ago and had trouble with keeping them together. they kept falling apart on me as i was forming them into balls and as frying them. any help would be appreciated. thanks oh i didnot do them with chicharron i did them with ground pork.
Erica
on Jun 2nd, 2010
@ 11:08 AM:
Mari-Sprinkle warm water….that helps.