Pupusa
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 12 servings
- Total: 3 hr 30 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
Pork:
One 9- to 10-pound pork shoulder butt, diced into 1 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon adobo
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Oil, for cooking
Chicharron:
One 3.52-ounce packet sazon
4 to 5 cloves garlic
2 small bay leaves
1 dried guajillo chile
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, rough chopped
1 large tomato, rough chopped
1 small red onion, rough chopped
1 green bell pepper, rough chopped
1 red bell pepper, rough chopped
1/2 large white onion, rough chopped
Shredded mozzarella, to taste
Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
Coleslaw, recipe follows
Masa:
7 to 8 cups corn flour
Tomato Sauce:
1 red onion
1/2 white onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic
Oil, for cooking
Two 56-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
One 28-ounce can tomato paste
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon adobo
Pinch oregano
Pinch sugar
Salt
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Coleslaw:
1 to 2 carrots, shredded
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/2 red onion
1/2 white onion
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch oregano
Pinch crushed red pepper
Directions
- For the pork: Sprinkle the pork with the bouillon powder, garlic and onion powders, adobo, oregano and parsley. Cook down with oil until it has a nice brown crust, about 1 hour.
- For the chicharron: Meanwhile, simmer the sazon, garlic, bay leaves, guajillo, cilantro, tomato, red onion, bell peppers and white onion in a stockpot for about 1 hour to make the picadillo.
- Once both the pork and picadillo are cooked and cooled, blend together until you have nice smooth consistency. Slight bits of pork are okay. This blend is the chicharron.
- Mix in enough mozzarella to achieve a 40/60 ratio of cheese to chicharron.
- For the masa: Mix the corn flour and water slowly, adding a cup of water at a time, until you have a “playdough” consistency.
- Measure out about 2 1/2 ounces masa. Roll into a ball, then slap down into a small pancake. Add about 2 1/2 ounces chicharron filling to the middle.
- With your hands, enclose the fillings with masa and roll back into a ball.
- Try to slap the pupusa ball back into a pancake about 5 inches in diameter, trying to evenly distribute the fillings along the edges. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Heat a griddle on high heat until hot. Turn down to medium-high heat and wipe down with cooking oil. Add a pupusa and cook one side for 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side, cooking all the way through until a nice golden brown and the edges are cooked.
- Plate and serve with the Tomato Sauce and Coleslaw.
Tomato Sauce:
- In a stockpot, sauté the onions and garlic in some oil until translucent. Add the tomatoes, paste, bouillon, adobo, oregano, sugar and salt and slow cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the cilantro. Let cool down and serve at room temperature.
Coleslaw:
- Combine the carrots, cabbage, cilantro, onions, vinegar, salt, oregano and crushed red pepper in a bowl.