El Salvador pupusa is the national dish of this intriguing country. These delicious masa cakes or tortillas are usually stuffed with cheese but also beans and chicharron, not the usual fried pork skin but a roasted pork that they call chicharron there. I found some oaxaca cheese and some made with an edible flower called locro, at my local Latin market. This is what I used to stuff these delicious treats called pupusa. They are always served with curtido which is a cabbage slaw and a salsa roja. Enjoy!
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El Salvador Pupusa (masa cake)
The National Dish of El Salvador, you should see why, delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 1 cup grated cheese: quesillo queso fresco, oaxaca
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream preferably El Salvador type
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Combine masa harina, salt, and water in a mixing bowl. Knead to form a smooth, moist dough with a playdough-like consistency. If the mixture is too dry, add more water, one teaspoon at a time. If the mixture is too sticky, add more masa harina, one teaspoon at a time. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let stand for 10 minutes.
- With lightly oiled hands, form the dough into 8 balls about 2 inches in diameter. Using your thumb, make an indentation into one of the balls, forming a small cup. Fill the cup with1 teaspoon, sour cream and 1 tablespoon of cheese and wrap the dough around the filling to seal it. Making sure that the filling does not leak, pat the dough back and forth between your hands to form a round disk about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining balls.
- Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high. Cook the pupusas for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Serve warm with curtido and salsa roja on the side.
- Of course you can add beans or whatever other filling you choose instead of just cheese, it is up to you!
