Purple Corn Cakes with Citrus Pork and Peanut Chile Sauce

Name: Purple Corn Cakes with Citrus Pork and Peanut Chile Sauce
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Comida Latinoamericana
Ingredients: 1.5 lb pork shoulder, cut into chunks; 1/2 cup orange juice; 2 tbsp lime juice; 4 cloves garlic; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 medium red onion; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 2 cups pre-cooked purple corn flour; 1 1/2 cups warm water; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts; 1 large dried ancho chile; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/3 cup fresh cilantro; 2 large pieces banana leaves

An original Latin American recipe featuring soft steamed purple corn cakes served with citrus-braised shredded pork, quick-pickled onion, and a silky peanut chile sauce. It balances sweet, bright, toasty, and mildly spicy flavors in a colorful, comforting dish.

35 minPrep

85 minCook

120 minTotal

4Servings

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g pork shoulder, cut into chunks (boneless)
120 ml orange juice (freshly squeezed or natural)
30 ml lime juice (divided)
12 g garlic (chopped, divided)
2 g ground cumin
1 g dried oregano
8 g salt (divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
150 g red onion (the mitad en pluma fina and the mitad chopped)
60 ml apple cider vinegar
12 g brown sugar (divided)
240 g pre-cooked purple corn flour
360 ml warm water
30 g butter (derretida)
4 g baking powder
70 g unsalted roasted peanuts
12 g dried ancho chile (without semillas)
180 ml chicken broth (hot, divided)
0.5 g ground cinnamon
15 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
2 unitades banana leaves (for forrar the vaporera, optional)

Nutrition facts

per serving

682 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

46 g

Carbs

41 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

41 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairyPeanuts

Instructions

1
In a bowl, combine the pork with the orange juice, 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the lime juice, half of the chopped garlic, cumin, oregano, 4 g (3/4 tsp) salt, and 1 g (1/4 tsp) black pepper. Let it marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest.
2
For the quick pickled onion, place the sliced red onion in a bowl with the apple cider vinegar, 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice, 6 g (1/2 tbsp) brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix and set aside.
3
Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped half of the red onion and cook 3 minutes more. Pour in 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken broth, cover, and cook over low heat for 60 minutes, until the pork is very tender. Shred it and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes to concentrate the juices.
4
Meanwhile, place the ancho chile in a bowl and cover it with 60 ml (1/4 cup) hot chicken broth. Let it soften for 10 minutes.
5
For the peanut chile sauce, blend the softened ancho chile, roasted peanuts, remaining garlic, 60 ml (1/4 cup) chicken broth, ground cinnamon, 6 g (1/2 tbsp) brown sugar, 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil, 2 g (1/4 tsp) salt, and the remaining black pepper until smooth and silky. If needed, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water to adjust the texture.
6
For the dough, mix the pre-cooked purple corn flour, baking powder, and 2 g (1/4 tsp) salt in a bowl. Gradually add the warm water, then the melted butter. Mix well and let rest for 5 minutes. Shape into 8 round, slightly flattened cakes.
7
Prepare a steamer and, if desired, line it with banana leaves. Place the cakes inside with space between them. Steam over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes, until firm and fully cooked. The steamer water should stay at a gentle boil, about 212°F/100°C.
8
If you want everything evenly hot for serving, preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C. Place the shredded pork in an oven-safe dish and warm it for 5 minutes if it cooled while the cakes finished cooking.
9
To serve, place 2 corn cakes per portion, top with the citrus pork, spoon over the peanut chile sauce, and finish with the pickled onion and chopped fresh cilantro.
10
Serve immediately, adding extra spoonfuls of the pork juices over the cakes for more flavor and moisture.

Chef tips

If the purple corn dough feels too dry, add 15 to 30 ml (1 to 2 tbsp) warm water. If it feels too wet, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of flour. The peanut sauce should be pourable but still thick, like a light cream.

Substitutions

You can replace the pork shoulder with boneless chicken thighs, reducing the cooking time to 35-40 minutes. Butter can be replaced with vegetable oil for a dairy-free version. If purple corn flour is unavailable, use white or yellow corn flour, though the color and flavor nuance will change.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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