Pupusas

author: steveandsarah

created: 2010-02-08 23:32:23

servings: 4

notes:

This is a tasty Salvadoran dish that has become part of our regular dinner rotation. Masa harina is a fine cornmeal treated with lime; in Los Angeles, you can buy it in most large supermarkets; other parts of the world you might have to hunt around a bit! The usual brand I see is called "Maseca".

recipe:

For the dough: 2 cups masa harina 1 1/2 cups water (approximately) For the filling: Grated cheese (I use something mild like mozarella) Canned black or pinto beans For the curtido: 1/2 head green cabbage 1 carrot oregano, salt, cider or white vinegar, chili to taste For the frying: vegetable oil Grate the cabbage and carrot into a bowl. Pour in boiling water to cover; leave for 5 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Toss with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup vinegar (or to taste), a sprinkle of oregano, and a shake of chili sauce or chili flakes. Mix the masa harina and water well in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb. It should be wet enough to work with but not so wet it's very sticky and messy. Roll into a ball about the size of a golf ball, then stick your thumb in and make it into a little cup. Put some beans and cheese in, then close it up and flatten into a pancake. Don't worry if some of the filling sticks out a little bit. Heat a large pan or skillet on the stove, and add some vegetable oil. (I normally only add a thin layer, but my pupusas always taste a little too healthy, so probably better to use a heavy hand.) Fry the pupusas on each side until they start getting a little browned. Serve the pupusas with the curtido on the side, and plenty of hot sauce.