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Yaroa (Frites de Plantain Garnies)

Name: Yaroa (Frites de Plantain Garnies)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: DO
Ingredients: 4 (about 1 kg) green (unripe) plantains, peeled; 1 litre vegetable oil, for frying; 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes; 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for cooking the chicken; 1/2 white onion, finely chopped; 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp coarse salt, for the soaking water; 1 tsp fine salt, divided, plus more to taste; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro; 300 g shredded mozzarella cheese; 120 ml evaporated milk; 60 ml ketchup, to finish; 60 ml mayonnaise, to finish; 1 tbsp yellow mustard, to finish (optional); 2 tbsp sliced pickled jalapeños, to serve (optional)

25m

Prépa

35m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Frites de plantain vert bien croustillantes, garnies de poulet épicé, nappées de sauce au fromage fondu et finies au ketchup et à la mayonnaise.

#dominican#street-food#plantain#cheese#comfort-food

Portions

4portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories760

protein30g

carbs55g

fat42g

fiber4g

Par portion

Étapes

Cut and soak plantains

Peel the plantains and cut them into finger-thick sticks, about 1 cm wide. Put them in a bowl of cold water with the coarse salt and let them soak for 15 minutes — this pulls out extra starch so the fries crisp up instead of turning soggy.

4 (about 1 kg) green plantains
2 tbsp coarse salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the plantains have soaked the full 15 minutes and the water looks slightly cloudy

⏱15:00

First fry (par-cook)

Drain and pat the plantain sticks completely dry. Heat the frying oil in a deep heavy pot to 160°C (320°F) and fry the plantains in batches for 6–7 minutes without crowding the pot. This gentle first fry cooks them through without browning too fast.

4 (about 1 kg) plantain sticks (from step 1)
1 litre vegetable oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the plantains are pale gold and tender when pierced with a fork

⏱7:00

Second fry (crisp up)

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Cook the seasoned chicken

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Melt the cheese sauce

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Layer and bake

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Finish and serve

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Cut and soak plantains

4 (about 1 kg) green plantains
2 tbsp coarse salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the plantains have soaked the full 15 minutes and the water looks slightly cloudy

⏱15:00

First fry (par-cook)

4 (about 1 kg) plantain sticks (from step 1)
1 litre vegetable oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the plantains are pale gold and tender when pierced with a fork

⏱7:00

Second fry (crisp up)

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Cook the seasoned chicken

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Melt the cheese sauce

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Layer and bake

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Finish and serve

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History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic📅 Late 20th century, Dominican street food🍌 DO

Yaroa was born as a late-night snack in Santiago, the Dominican Republic's second city, where street vendors reimagined nachos using fried green plantain instead of tortilla chips. It spread quickly from a single cart to kiosks across the city and then the whole country, each vendor adding their own touch with different sauces and toppings.

Today yaroa is a fixture of Dominican street food culture, sold from carts and small kiosks especially at night, when crowds gather for something filling and comforting after a long day. It has become a point of local pride for Santiago, often mentioned alongside the city's other culinary contributions to the island.

⭐ Why It's Famous

Yaroa stands out for turning humble fried plantain into a shareable, loaded dish piled with meat, melted cheese and sauces, offering the same comfort as nachos but with a distinctly Dominican base.

💡 Fun Fact

The name "yaroa" is said to come from a nickname rather than any formal culinary term, reflecting how the dish grew out of informal street food culture rather than a restaurant kitchen.

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