Pupusas y Curtido

Want a fun, different and fulfilling dish for bringing in the new year? Try pupusas. A pupusa is a stuffed corn tortilla usually served with a spicy coleslaw called curtido. This recipe makes both. 

Pupusas originated in El Salvador, but emigrants have taken the dish to South and North American. They are hand-made and thick. Like all corn tortillas, pupusas are made using masa harina and are generally stuffed with one or more of the following: cheese, refried beans, fried pork rinds and chicken. The curtido is slightly salty which perfectly complements the bland (but tasty!) pupusas.

Robert recently made tortillas for us using masa. He then filled them with black beans and a mozzarella-like cheese, Oaxaca (wə-hah-kə). This gave me the inspiration for my Ojai version of Pupusas y Curtido. 

Ingredients: 

Curtido: 

4 cups shredded cabbage 

1 medium carrot, coarsely grated 

½ cup onion (thinly sliced) 

½ jalapeño (seeded and finely diced) 

½ cup white vinegar 

1 teaspoons salt 

2 teaspoons sugar 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

Pupusas: 

4 cups masa harina 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 cups warm water 

½ cup cooked black beans (rinsed & mashed) 

½ cup Oaxaca cheese (chopped or shredded) 

Vegetable oil (for frying) 

Directions: 

To make Curtido: Pour 4 cups boiling water over cabbage, carrot, onion, and jalapeño in bowl. Steep 5 minutes. Drain. 

Bring vinegar, 1/2 cup water, salt, sugar, and oregano to a boil in saucepan. Pour over cabbage mixture. Cover, and allow to cool. 

To make Pupusas: Combine masa harina, cumin, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Stir in 3 cups warm water, adding more, if needed, to form soft dough. Cover, and let stand 30 minutes. 

Line baking sheet with wax paper. Roll dough into 16 balls. Make indentation in centers of each ball. Fill 8 balls with 1 tablespoon refried beans. Fill remaining 8 balls with 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold edges over filling of each ball and roll into balls once more. Press each ball into 4-inch disks. Place on wax paper. 

Heat 3 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat (I use a long griddle). Add 4 Pupusas at a time to skillet. Cook 3 minutes on one side turn and cook another 3 minutes on the other. To serve, transfer hot pupusas to your plate and spoon the curtido on the side.