Mangú
Mangú is the national breakfast dish of the Dominican Republic. A traditional Dominican dish, it can also be served for lunch or dinner.
The dish is made from boiled green plantains that are mashed and topped with pickled red onions and traditionally accompanied by fried cheese, salami, and eggs, which is a combination popularly known as "los tres golpes".
Mangú's origins are linked to West African fufu, which was brought to the Caribbean and Latin America through the transatlantic slave trade. Over time, enslaved Africans and their descendants adapted the dish using local ingredients and techniques, resulting in regional variations such as mangú.
Method
Mangú is made up of boiled green plantains with or without peel on. When cooked through and soft the peel is removed. Plantains are then mashed with a fork and some water in which they were boiled. The goal is to mash the plantains until it becomes smooth with no lumps. The dish is topped with sautéed red onions that have been cooked with vinegar and oil.Variations
Los tres golpes is the slang name given by Dominicans consisting of fried Dominican-style salami, fried cheese, and fried eggs served alongside mangú. Many Dominican families also coat the salami and cheese in flour before frying, adding a light, crispy coating to the sausage, creating a unique texture.Dominican salami plays a pivotal role in Dominican cuisine. Dominican salami is uncured and pre-cooked. Traditionally the salami is smoked and made with beef, pork, red onions, garlic, black pepper, lippia, egg whites, annatto, and flour. Its flavor profile is slightly smoky, salty, and robust, making it an excellent contrast to the starchy mangú. When fried, it becomes crispy on the outside, which complements the smooth, creamy texture of the mangú. Dominican salami has the look and texture of bologna sausage or cotto salami as it is larger than most salami and soft.
There are a couple more options such as mangú con longaniza, a type of sausage. It is typically grilled or fried and adds a smoky, savory flavor. In coastal regions of the Dominican Republic, mangú is often served with fried fish, particularly tilapia or snapper. The fish adds a fresh and delicate contrast to the richness of the plantains.
Etymology
Boiled mashed plantains can be traced back to Africans in the Congo region who were brought to the island during the slave trade. One theory was that mangú was descended from a word akin to mangusi that referred to almost any root vegetable that was boiled and mashed.Another popular theory about the name's origin suggests it comes from an anecdote during American occupation, after tasting the dish, an American soldier allegedly exclaimed, “Man, good!”, which locals may have phonetically interpreted as mangú. While this story is not confirmed by official documents, its origin during the occupation period aligns better with the available historical records than the widely spread claim of an African word mangusi, which has no verified backing in known African languages or dictionaries.
Origin
Mangú, a Caribbean dish, evolved as a regional variant of fufu, a dish brought over by African slaves into the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. Before cassava was introduced, plantains, green bananas, and yams were boiled and mashed with milk, butter, and the water it was boiled in.While fufu is pounded until the starch has become sticky and formed into a ball, mangú is less labor-intensive and mashed just until it is smooth, creamy and a bit dense. Fufu evolved into various forms across the Caribbean and Southern U.S., such as mangú, mofongo, and hot water cornbread.