Venezuelan FoodOcumo and Corn Fritters with Creamy Coconut Beans and Avocado Pico
An original Venezuelan-inspired recipe featuring golden ocumo and corn fritters served over creamy coconut black beans, finished with a fresh avocado, tomato, cilantro, and lime pico. It is comforting, flavorful, and perfect for a distinctive lunch or dinner with true local character.
Ingredients
- 500 g peeled ocumo root (grated por the lado grueso)
- 160 g yellow corn kernels (puede ser fresh or descongelado)
- 60 g pre-cooked cornmeal (for dar estructura)
- 100 g white onion (finely chopped, divided)
- 60 g sweet pepper (finely chopped, divided)
- 9 g garlic (chopped, divided)
- 20 g fresh cilantro (chopped, divided)
- 1 unit egg (for the mezcla of torrejas)
- 8 g salt (divided or to taste)
- 2 g black pepper (divided)
- 1 g ground cumin (for the caraotas)
- 60 ml vegetable oil (divided for frying and sofreír)
- 480 g cooked black beans (escurridas with a poco of líquido reservado)
- 240 ml coconut milk (without sugar)
- 12 g grated panela (aporta balance suave)
- 140 g tomato (en cubitos small)
- 180 g avocado (en cubitos)
- 30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 30 g scallion (finely chopped)
Nutrition facts
per serving
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
Instructions
- 1
1. Grate the peeled ocumo on the coarse side of a grater and place it in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze well to remove excess moisture; this helps the fritters stay firm and turn golden.
- 2
2. In a large bowl, combine the grated ocumo, corn kernels, pre-cooked cornmeal, half of the white onion, half of the sweet pepper, half of the garlic, half of the cilantro, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until you have a moist but shapeable batter.
- 3
3. Let the fritter mixture rest for 10 minutes so the cornmeal can absorb some of the ocumo moisture.
- 4
4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the remaining white onion, remaining sweet pepper, and remaining garlic for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- 5
5. Add the cooked black beans, coconut milk, ground cumin, grated panela, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly mash some of the beans with a spoon for a creamy texture. If needed, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the beans' cooking liquid.
- 6
6. Stir half of the scallion into the beans, taste, and adjust the salt. Keep the bean mixture warm over low heat.
- 7
7. In another bowl, make the avocado pico by gently mixing the tomato, avocado, lime juice, remaining scallion, remaining cilantro, and a pinch of salt. Mix carefully so the avocado keeps its shape.
- 8
8. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, shape 8 fritters with the ocumo-corn mixture, using about 1/3 cup per fritter, and gently flatten them in the skillet.
- 9
9. Fry the fritters for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply golden and cooked through. Adjust the heat if they brown too quickly. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 10
10. If you want to keep them warm while finishing the batch, preheat the oven to 200 °F / 95 °C and hold them there while frying the rest.
- 11
11. To serve, spoon a base of creamy coconut beans onto each plate, place 2 fritters per serving on top, and finish with a generous spoonful of avocado pico.
- 12
12. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of crisp fritters, silky beans, and the fresh brightness of avocado and lime.
Chef tips
Squeezing the ocumo well is key so the fritters do not turn soggy. If the mixture feels too wet, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of pre-cooked cornmeal. For even better flavor, let the avocado pico sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
You can substitute the ocumo with well-drained grated cassava, although the texture will be slightly springier. If you do not have panela, use brown sugar in the same amount. Cilantro can be swapped for parsley, and black beans for cooked red beans.
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 imageCosori 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
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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