Arepitas de Yuca (Cassava fritters)
¿Yo quisiera saber qué buen dominicano rechaza unas arepitas de yuca? Qué yo sepa ninguno. Si no eres Dominicano y nunca ha probado estos arepitas! llamar a un amigo Dominicano y pregúntale si puede ayudarte a probar o si bien pueden mostrarte dónde conseguirlas! créanme vale la pena! Si no consiguen a ningún Dominicano (Lo que sería raro, ya que los Dominicanos estamos presentes en la mayoría de los países del mundo, hasta en los más lejanos e inhóspitos) sigan esta receta y entenderán a qué me refiero.
La yuca es deliciosa de diferentes maneras, hoy les preparo unas arepitas de yuca (Cassava fritters). La receta tradicional es yuca rallada, huevo, azúcar y anís, pero en esta ocasión sustituí el anís con puerro finamente picado.
En la gastronomía de Puerto Rico la yuca se usa en varios platos. En forma hervida es un acompañante del arroz con habichuelas; también se prepara frita, acompañada de mojo. Al igual que otros países y regiones, se acostumbra también hacer casabe y otros panes. El mayor uso es rallada, en forma de masa para lograr las alcapurrias fritas y los pasteles hervidos de yuca.
En la República Dominicana se utiliza para preparar el casabe, una torta plana de harina de yuca, producida a partir de las variedades amargas, el casabe fue hecho primero por los aborígenes. También se utiliza en para preparar buñuelos, arepitas, pasteles en hoja, bollitos de yuca rellenos de queso o de carne, pastelón de yuca, croquetas de yuca y queso y como acompañante de carnes, mariscos o pollo al carbón (hervida y “encebollada”) e incluso forma parte del popular sancocho.
En Cuba se prepara hervida en trozos, que luego se untan con un mojo de ajo machacado y naranja agria (o limón), y después se le vierte manteca (grasa) de cerdo limpia y bien caliente, sal al gusto, en el oriente del país también se prepara el casabe.
Ingredients
- ½ libra de yuca rallada
- 1 cucharadita de azúcar
- ½ cucharada de sal
- 1 huevo
- 2 cucharadas de puerro picado finamente
- 1½ taza de aceite para freír
Instructions
- En un recipiente hondo mezcla la yuca, azúcar, sal, huevo y el puerro.
- Calienta el aceite a fuego medio en una sartén pequeña
- Agrega 2 cucharadas de la mezcla al aceite caliente hasta que doren de un lado, voltea y repite. Continúa con el resto de la mezcla.
- Colocar sobre papel toalla para eliminar el exceso de grasa. Servir de inmediato.
¡Buen Provecho!
Arepitas de Yuca (Cassava fritters)
I would want to know what good Dominican will refuse some cassava fritters (arepitas de yuca)? None that I know of. If you are not Dominican and have never tasted these fritters! call a Dominican friend and ask if they can either make them for you or show you where to get them! believe me it’s worth it! If you can’t get in touch with any Dominican (Which would be unusual, since Dominicans are present in most countries of the world, even in the most remote and inhospitable ones) follow this recipe and you will understand what I mean.
As a food ingredient, cassava root is somewhat similar to the potato, in that, like the potato, it is starchy, inedible when raw, and bland in flavor when cooked. Indeed, cassava can replace the potato in many dishes and can be prepared in similar ways – it can be boiled, mashed, fried or baked.
Unlike the potato, however, cassava is mostly a tropical crop, and its peculiar characteristics have led to some unique recipes, such as sweet puddings, which have no common potato version. In some parts of the world (chiefly in Africa, Indonesia, and the Philippines), cassava leaves are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable.
As an alternative to side dishes like French fries, arepitas de yuca are consumed, which are deep-fried buttered lumps of shredded cassava. Bollitos, similar to the Colombian ones, are also made. Also, a type of empanada called catibía has its dough made out of cassava flour. Cassava is also used to make chulos or chulitos, mainly in the Cibao region: grated cassava and other root veggies are shaped into a cylindrical form, much like a croquette, and fried. Also, cassava is an important ingredient for sancocho.
The root, in its boiled and peeled form, is present in the typical stew, the sancocho, together with plantains, potatoes, yautía, among other vegetables (it can also be eaten singly as an alternative to boiled potatoes or plantains). It can be ground and used as a paste (masa) to make a dish called pasteles en hoja, serve on Christmas. These are similar to Mexican tamales in appearance but are made with root vegetables, plantains, or yuca instead of corn. Pasteles are rectangular and have a meat filling in the center, usually chicken or pork. They are wrapped in a plantain leaf. Yuca is also fried, smashed with garlic, olive oil, broth and then stuffed with chicharrón or bacon to make mofongo de yuca. Casabe bread also is a traditional food made from yuca, but is no longer very commonly eaten.
Cassava is delicious in different ways, today I prepare some cassava fritters (arepitas de yuca), the traditional recipe of these fried snacks is grated cassava, egg, sugar and anise seeds, but this time I replaced anise seeds with chives (scallions) finely chopped.
Ingredients
- ½ pound cassava grated
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chives thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cup oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl mix cassava, sugar, salt, egg and chives.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a small skillet
- Add 2 tablespoons of the mixture to the hot oil until golden brown on one side, turn and repeat. Continue with the rest of the mixture.
- Place on paper towel to remove excess fat. Serve immediately.
