Here, I season water with salt and garlic powder for dunking the tostones in before the final fry. The recipe calls for seasoning the water, but if you prefer to skip that step for any reason ...

When finished, season with salt while the tostones are still hot and serve with your favorite dipping sauce — garlic mojo, salsa verde, mayo-ketchup, and guacamole are classic choices.

5. Fry the tostones again for five minutes until crisp; drain them on paper towels and season with a little bit more salt before serving. They're delicious with a squirt of fresh lime juice ...