Salvadoran FoodSalvadoran yuca and loroco cakes with red bean cream and radish slaw
Golden, crisp-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside cakes made with cooked yuca, fresh loroco, and queso duro blando, served with a warm blended red bean cream and a quick cabbage, radish, and lime slaw. An original recipe inspired by traditional Salvadoran flavors.
Ingredients
- 500 g peeled yuca, cut into chunks (for cocer and hacer the dough)
- 8 g salt (divided entre dough, cream and curtido)
- 60 g fresh loroco, chopped (without stalks duros)
- 100 g queso duro blando, grated (or queso fresh firme grated)
- 1 unit egg (for ligar the mezcla)
- 35 g rice flour (for dar estructura)
- 70 g white onion, finely chopped (divided entre tortitas and cream)
- 60 ml vegetable oil (divided for frying and sofreír)
- 300 g cooked red beans with a little cooking liquid (for the cream)
- 6 g garlic (chopped)
- 1 g ground cumin (for the cream of frijol)
- 120 g white cabbage, finely shredded (for the curtido)
- 80 g radishes, thinly sliced (for the curtido)
- 30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 g dried oregano (for the curtido)
- 4 g sugar (for equilibrar the curtido)
- 45 ml water (si es necesario for ajustar the dough or the cream)
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. Place the yuca in a pot with enough water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium heat until very tender, 18 to 22 minutes. Drain, remove any tough inner fibers, and mash while hot until smooth.
- 2
2. While the yuca cooks, make the slaw: combine the cabbage, radishes, lime juice, oregano, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Massage with your hands for 1 minute and let rest for 15 minutes so it softens slightly.
- 3
3. For the bean cream, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half of the chopped onion and the garlic, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the red beans with their cooking liquid, the cumin, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water if needed. Cook for 5 minutes, then blend or mash into a thick cream. Keep warm over very low heat.
- 4
4. Transfer the mashed yuca to a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the loroco, grated cheese, the remaining chopped onion, the egg, the rice flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well until a shapeable dough forms. If it feels too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water; if too soft, let it rest for 5 minutes so the flour absorbs moisture.
- 5
5. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into cakes about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
- 6
6. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden with a light crust. If you want to keep them warm, transfer them to a tray and place in the oven at 250 °F / 120 °C while you finish the rest.
- 7
7. Serve two cakes per portion over a layer of red bean cream and top with the cabbage and radish slaw. Serve immediately.
- 8
8. If you want to reheat the cakes, bake them on a tray at 350 °F / 175 °C for 8 to 10 minutes to bring back their crisp texture.
Chef tips
Mash the yuca while still hot for a smoother dough. If the loroco buds are large, chop them finely so their flavor distributes evenly through each cake.
Substitutions
You can use firm fresh cheese instead of queso duro blando. If rice flour is unavailable, use the same amount of fine masa harina, though the flavor will be slightly different.
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 imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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
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