Salvadoran Bean & Cheese Pupusas with Curtido

Name: Salvadoran Bean & Cheese Pupusas with Curtido
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Salvadoran & Central American
Ingredients: 3 cups masa harina; 1 cup refried beans; 1½ cups shredded mozzarella or quesillo; ½ head green cabbage (about 1 lb), finely shredded; 1 carrot, grated; ½ onion (half sliced for curtido, half for salsa); 1 jalapeño, finely sliced; 2 Roma tomatoes; ½ cup white vinegar; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp oil

LunchSalvadoran & Central American60 minServes 4605 kcal23 g protein

Photo: The DLC · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Thick corn masa cakes stuffed with refried beans and gooey cheese, griddled until spotty and crisp, and served with tangy cabbage curtido and a simple tomato salsa.

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Ingredients

3 cups masa harina
1 cup refried beans
1½ cups shredded mozzarella or quesillo
½ head green cabbage (about 1 lb), finely shredded
1 carrot, grated
½ onion (half sliced for curtido, half for salsa)
1 jalapeño, finely sliced
2 Roma tomatoes

From your pantry: ½ cup white vinegar, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp oil.

Instructions

For the curtido, pour boiling water over the cabbage, carrot, sliced onion and jalapeño, wait 5 minutes and drain. Toss with the vinegar, ½ cup water, oregano, sugar and 1 tsp salt and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (overnight is better).
For the salsa, simmer the tomatoes and remaining onion in a little water for 8 minutes, then blend with a pinch of salt until smooth.
Mix the masa harina with 1 tsp salt and about 2¼ cups warm water into a soft dough like play dough that doesn't crack at the edges. Mash the beans and cheese together for the filling.
With lightly oiled hands, divide the dough into 8 balls. Press a deep cup into each, add 2 tbsp filling, pinch closed and gently pat into a ½-inch-thick disk.
Cook on a lightly oiled griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium until browned in spots and the cheese bubbles at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve hot with plenty of curtido and salsa.

Tip: Keep a bowl of water with a little oil nearby and wet your hands often; it's the trick Salvadoran pupuseras use to keep the dough from sticking or cracking. Use masa harina, not masarepa.