Yellow corn masa is a versatile and delicious ingredient that is perfect for making traditional dishes like tamales, pupusas, and gorditas. Pair pupusas with curtido (a lightly fermented cabbage relish) for a tasty meal!
PUPUSAS
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups masa harina
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups boiling water, plus extra water as needed.
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided.
- 2 ounces cotija cheese, cut into 2 pieces.
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 8 pieces.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a marker, draw a 4-inch circle in center of 1 side of 1-quart or 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Cut open seams along both sides of bag but leave bottom seam intact so bag opens completely.
- Mix masa harina and salt together in medium bowl. Add boiling water and 1 teaspoon oil and mix with rubber spatula until soft dough forms. Cover the dough and let rest for 20 minutes.
- While dough rests, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Process cotija in food processor until cotija is finely chopped and resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add Monterey Jack and process until mixture resembles wet oatmeal, about 30 seconds (it will not form cohesive mass). Remove processor blade. Form cheese mixture into 8 balls, weighing about 1¼ ounces each, and place balls on 1 half of prepared sheet.
- Knead dough in bowl for 15 to 20 seconds. Test dough’s hydration by flattening golf ball–size pieces. If cracks larger than ¼ inch form around edges, add warm tap water, 2 teaspoons at a time, until dough is soft and slightly tacky. Transfer dough to counter, shape into large ball, and divide into 8 equal pieces. Using your damp hands, roll 1 dough piece into ball and place on empty half of prepared sheet. Cover with damp dish towel. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
- Place the open cut bag marked side down on the counter. Place 1 dough ball in center of circle. Fold other side of bag over ball. Using glass pie plate or 8-inch square baking dish, gently press dough to 4-inch diameter, using circle drawn on bag as guide. Turn out disk into your palm and place 1 cheese ball in center. Bring sides of dough up around filling and pinch top to seal. Remoisten your hands and roll the ball until smooth, smoothing any cracks with your damp fingertip. Return ball to bag and slowly press to 4-inch diameter. Pinch closed any small cracks that form at edges. Return pupusa to sheet and cover with damp dish towel. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Wipe skillets clean with paper towels. Carefully lay 4 pupusas in skillet and cook until spotty brown on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and repeat with remaining 4 pupusas. Serve warmly with salsa and curtido.
- To Make Ahead: At end of step 5, wrap baking sheet in plastic wrap and freeze until pupusas are solid. Wrap pupusas individually in plastic, then transfer pupusas to zipper-lock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, increasing cooking time by 1 minute per side.
Curtido
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 head cabbage, finely shredded
- 1/2 red onion very thinly sliced.
- 2 carrots, finely shredded
- 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, sliced (optional)
- ½ cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- Hot boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- Salt to taste.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Place cabbage in a fine mesh strainer. Very slowly pour boiling water over the cabbage. Then rinse with cold water. Drain well, pressing out as much water as possible.
- Combine remaining ingredients: Add cabbage to a large bowl. Add carrot, onion, jalapeno (optional), oregano, and vinegar and toss well to combine. If preferred, you may put it all in a bowl with a lid and shake it.
- Time to Marinate. Curtido tastes best after it has been marinated for several hours or days, but you can enjoy it fresh if you’d like. Store curtido in a covered container or mason jar for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Credit: Pupusa recipe, New York Times Cooking, and Curtido recipe, Tastes better from scratch
