Tostones are the percussive heartbeat of the Caribbean table — twice-fried green plantain rounds that shatter when you bite through the crust and give way to dense, starchy, savory interior. They are made in two stages: a first fry to soften, a smash with a tostonera or the flat of a glass, and a second fry to finish golden and crisp. The technique sounds simple but the details matter: the oil temperature, the thickness of the smash, the salt hit the moment they come out of the fryer. In Puerto Rico they are the default side for everything. They are the edible equivalent of a blank canvas — served with mojo, garlic butter, or just salt, they take on whatever the cook intends.