Recipe: Pupusas de Queso con Curtido y Salsa Roja

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Recipe: Pupusas de Queso con Curtido y Salsa Roja

Relish (Curtido)

½ head of cabbage, shredded

1 large carrot, grated

½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

½ c vinegar

¼ c water

½ t salt

1 t dried oregano

½ to 1 t red pepper flakes

Salsa Roja

3 medium tomatoes, chopped, or 1 15-oz can of tomatoes

¼ c onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ c cilantro, chopped

1 t dried oregano

½ c water

Pupusas

2 c maseca corn flour (masa harina)

1 pinch of salt

1½ c water

1 c queso fresco or farmer’s cheese, grated

1 T fair trade olive oil

Relish: Combine the cabbage, carrot and onion in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix in remaining ingredients. Pour over the cabbage mixture and stir. Refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably one day before serving.

Salsa Roja: Combine all ingredients except water in a blender. Add half a cup of water and blend until smooth. Add more water as needed to make salsa smooth.

Pupusas: Combine the 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, gradually add more water. If it is too sticky, gradually add more masa harina.

Using wet hands, form the dough into eight balls about 2 inches in diameter. Using your thumb, make an indentation into one of the balls, forming a small cup, and fill with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Wrap the dough to seal the cheese. Pat the dough to form a round disk about a quarter inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pupusas on each side until golden brown. Serve warm with relish and salsa roja.

Makes 8 pupusas