Pupusas

DISCLAIMER: I was taught how to make pupusas by the internet, not by someone who actually knows how, and therefore these pupusas are not like the ones you'd get in a Salvadoran restaurant. But they are still delicious!

Pupusas are corn flour dough filled with tasty filling and then fried. You can't really go wrong with that! Katie and I used to get frozen pupusas from the Asian grocery store, but one day we set off the fire alarm for the whole building while cooking them. For some reason, those sad events made me determined to make my own pupusas. Here's how:

The dough:
To make around a dozen pupusas, start with 2 cups of masa harina (corn flour). Add warm water until you have a moist dough; this should take about the same amount of water as flour. Cover with a damp cloth (this is important!) and let it rest for 20 minutes.

The filling:
Traditionally, pupusa filling is made with pork. But you can use whatever you want! My favorite is equal parts refried beans and shredded cheese. Mexican cheeses taste best, but if your grocery store doesn't carry any, just use mozzarella or another mild cheese. In the past, I have also added Morningstar veggie bacon – cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble it into the bean/cheese mixture. I didn't use it this time because veggie bacon is expensive, but it is really good in pupusas!

To form the pupusas:
Form a small handful of dough into a ball. Use your thumb to shape it into a little bowl. Spoon a small amount of filling into the bowl, then pinch it shut. Carefully flatten the filled ball of dough into a disc, making it as thin as you can without tearing holes in it. Keep your finished pupusas covered with a damp cloth while you work; this dough can dry out really fast.








Cook the pupusas on medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side, or until they get golden brown and crispy. Use lots of oil to make them greasy and delicious!

Refried Beans From Scratch

Refried beans is one of those foods that has grown on me over the years. What used to be a vaguely icky side dish in Tex-Mex restaurants is now an absolutely crucial component of quesadillas. I made them from scratch once a long time ago, and remember it as an easy but long and tedious process. But this morning I discovered that it doesn't have to be that way! Making refried beans is incredibly simple, and you get so much more food for the same amount of money you'd spend on buying them canned. It is one of those foods that can be done in numerous ways – the only absolutely essential ingredient is beans (and water).

I used:
dry pinto beans (about 2 ½ cups)
one large red onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
one tomato, diced
olive oil
cumin and chili powder
salt

This makes a HUGE amount of beans! You might as well make a ton at once, since they freeze well.

Soak your beans in water overnight, then boil them until tender. This can take anywhere from 40 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the beans and how long they soaked. Drain the beans, but save some of the beany water! You'll need it later. I had about 8 cups of cooked beans, but you can make less! You can also start with canned beans if you want.

In a large pot, cook your onion and garlic in a generous amount of oil until the onion is translucent. Turn the heat to low. Add the tomato and some of the beans, and mash it all together with a potato masher. Keep adding beans in batches and mashing them, keeping the heat on. As you go, incorporate a little more olive oil and some of the bean water – the beans will dry out a little after you're done, so make it a little more liquid-y than you think you'll want it. Add salt and spices to taste! The beans will soak up tons of salt.

The great thing about making your own refried beans is that you can control the amount and type of fat, salt, and seasonings. It tastes better than store-bought, and it is super cheap. And super easy! Seriously, try this!