Book of Days Tales

The second Sunday in November is multiple holidays all over the world.  I have picked the National Day of the Pupusa from El Salvador because I can give an obvious recipe. Pupusas are stuffed corn griddle cakes.  You can vary the filling as you choose, including ground meat , squash, or chicharrón. This recipe uses loroco which is an edible flower bud. If you cannot find any increase the bell pepper or add hot peppers.

Ingredients

The beans

3 cups cooked red beans
¼ small onion
½  cup corn oil
1 tbsp salt
1 cup water

The cheese

3 lbs melting cheese, grated
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ cup loroco

The masa

4 cups masa corn flour
2 cups warm water

Instructions`

The beans:

Heat the corn oil in a large soup pan on medium high heat. Once the oil is heated fry the onion until golden brown.

While the onions are cooking, place half of the beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved bean liquid in a blender and blend for 1 minute.

Once the onion is golden in color, about 4 minutes take the onion out with a slotted spoon.

Carefully stir the beans from the blender into the hot oil. Turn the heat down to medium-low.

Next add the onion and the rest of the beans and reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid into the blender and liquefy for a minute. Add the beans to the rest of the mixture that is already cooking.

Carefully stir the beans until no oil appears in the beans, about 3 minutes. Cook on medium stirring about every 5 minutes until the beans have darkened about 3 shades.

The cheese:

Place the shredded mozzarella, loroco, and bell pepper in a food processor and process until the bell peppers and loroco are chopped into tiny pieces and fully incorporated into the cheese.

Next, place the cheese mixture into a plastic bowl and warm the mix in the microwave for no more than 20 seconds.

Next squeeze the cheese mixture with your hands until it becomes like a soft putty consistency.

Set aside

The masa:

Place the masa and water in a bowl and stir until fully mixed. The masa should be very sticky but should form a ball easily when rolled. If not, add water until it is sticky but easy to work with.

Next, place an egg sized ball of masa in your hand and press the masa out flat about the size of your palm.

Place about a tablespoon of a mix of cheese and beans down onto the masa. Pull the sides of the masa up around the beans and cheese and roll it into a ball. Next, flatten it with your palms to form a thick disc. Pat the disc turning it between your hands about 6 times to flatten it more but to keep it in a round shape.

The pupusa should be a little less than ½  inch thick.

Repeat.

Place the pupusa on a large oiled nonstick surface and cook on medium high until each side is golden brown, around 3 minutes on each side.