Marranita also known as puerquitas are green plantains balls stuffed with fried pork belly or chicharrón. These delicious fritters are a traditional Colombian appetizer from El Valle region of the country.
Marranitas o Puerquitas ( Green Plantain Balls Stuffed With Pork Belly)
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 green plantains peeled and cut into 12 chunks
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup chicharrones finely chopped
- Salt
Instructions
- 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 ¼″ 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.
Nutrition
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!
grace
balls stuffed with belly. erica, this rocks. what a unique and flavorful combination of foods!
MaryMoh
Erica, these look so irresistibly good! Beautiful combination of plantains and pork....yum. I would love to try these. Thanks for sharing.
Bo
I bet I could eat way more than six of those!
Oysterculture
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!
Joy
Wow! These look just so wonderful and exciting! I want to try one. Now!
Joan Nova
Ay, que rico! Every once and a while it's good to eat fried pork, especially when it's encased in plantains.
Blond Duck
Those look much better than fried mushrooms or jalepenos!
Erica
Thank you guys!
Cynthia
I have friends coming over this weekend and I am going to make these! Thank you for such an excellent recipe!
Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes
These look so yummy, Erica! No wonder why they are so popular!
Kim
"little pig girls" what a cute name! They look delicious. I bet I could eat at least six of them:D
Lyndsey
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!
Baking is my Zen
My mom makes a version of these...oh soooo good!
5 Star Foodie
Plantains balls with pork belly stuffing! Wow! That sounds incredible and a must try for sure!
Miss Meat and Potatoes
Oh my gosh these look so good!! Plantains are my favorite and pork belly is my husband's - what a perfect treat!
Tangled Noodle
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.