Recipe book · 75 min
Salvadoran pupusas
Thick corn cakes stuffed with beans and cheese, with a tangy cabbage slaw and tomato salsa.
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How to cook it · about 75 minutes
- Make the curtido first so it can sit: shred the cabbage finely, grate the carrots and slice half the onion thin. Pour boiling water over them, drain after 1 minute, then toss with the vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1 tsp salt. Chill at least 30 minutes.
- Make the salsa: simmer the tomatoes, the rest of the onion and the jalapeño in a small pot of water for 10 minutes. Blend with a pinch of salt and a little of the cooking water until smooth.
- Mix the masa harina with 1 tsp salt and about 2.25 cups warm water. Knead it in the bowl until it feels like soft play dough and does not crack at the edges. Add water a spoonful at a time if it cracks.
- Mix the refried beans and cheese together. Wet your hands with a mix of water and a little oil so the dough does not stick.
- Roll a golf-ball-size piece of dough, press a deep well into it with your thumb, and put in a spoonful of filling. Close the dough over it, then pat it gently between your palms into a disk about 0.25 inch thick. Patch any cracks with a little dough.
- Cook the pupusas on a lightly oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes a side, until speckled brown and the cheese is melting.
- Serve hot with the curtido and salsa piled on top.
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