My Project
Throughout the years I have developed a passion for cooking. I never thought the day would come to finally admit it. I come from a family of great cooks, starting with my deceased grandmother down to my mom. Cooking has always been very important and an essential part for our family. I find cooking to be therapeutic and allows for creativity. I like having the flexibility of adding my personal touch to recipes and creating new dishes. Additionally, I enjoy hosting friends and family, finding the social moments important. Not only do I find cooking fun, but beneficial to having a fresh, homemade, well prepared meal.
For this project, I chose how to make pupusas. Pupusas are a staple food found in my country of birth, El Salvador. Pupusas are corn-based tortillas with a filling - usually cheese, cheese and beans, and/or Salvadoran-style chicharrón (shredded pork). They are served with a pickled cabbage slaw called curtido, and tomato sauce. I chose to learn how to make a quality pupusa because It brings back memories of going out to eat with my parents and friends. Also, I want to impress my mom, family and friends. Believe it or not, my mom does not know how to make pupusas. Additionally, It has been a challenge to find a good pupusa in San Diego. They just do not live up to the traditional pupusa Salvadoreña. To this day, I have found a couple of restaurants in San Diego who serve pupusas. I find that the pupusas are decent, but not traditional, as they have more of a Mexican influence. For example, they may add jalapeños to them, this is a no-no in a traditional pupusa Salvadoreña.
Questions to think about before making a quality pupusa Salvadoreña
Throughout the years I have developed a passion for cooking. I never thought the day would come to finally admit it. I come from a family of great cooks, starting with my deceased grandmother down to my mom. Cooking has always been very important and an essential part for our family. I find cooking to be therapeutic and allows for creativity. I like having the flexibility of adding my personal touch to recipes and creating new dishes. Additionally, I enjoy hosting friends and family, finding the social moments important. Not only do I find cooking fun, but beneficial to having a fresh, homemade, well prepared meal.
For this project, I chose how to make pupusas. Pupusas are a staple food found in my country of birth, El Salvador. Pupusas are corn-based tortillas with a filling - usually cheese, cheese and beans, and/or Salvadoran-style chicharrón (shredded pork). They are served with a pickled cabbage slaw called curtido, and tomato sauce. I chose to learn how to make a quality pupusa because It brings back memories of going out to eat with my parents and friends. Also, I want to impress my mom, family and friends. Believe it or not, my mom does not know how to make pupusas. Additionally, It has been a challenge to find a good pupusa in San Diego. They just do not live up to the traditional pupusa Salvadoreña. To this day, I have found a couple of restaurants in San Diego who serve pupusas. I find that the pupusas are decent, but not traditional, as they have more of a Mexican influence. For example, they may add jalapeños to them, this is a no-no in a traditional pupusa Salvadoreña.
Questions to think about before making a quality pupusa Salvadoreña
- Where do I find good recipes? Are they as good online.
- Is there a specific type or brand of masa (cornmeal) to use?
- Where will I be able to find fresh ingredients like loroco, a special type of vine, pupusa cheese?
- Are there special type of beans to use? Where do I find them? How do I prepare the beans?
- Is the chicharron (finely shreded pork) different than the one sold at Northgate market?
- How do I make a good quality curtido (pickled cabbage) and tomato sauce for toppings?
- What type of griddle is recommend to cook the pupusas on?
- Will I be able to find videos or someone to show me the technique of how to maintain the filling inside the masa without making a mess?
- Will the pupusas taste as good as the ones I was accustomed to eating in El Salvador?
- Who will be the taster?