Frituritas de Malanga (Malanga Fritters)

Malanga is another of our loved root vegetables. Malanga can also go by the name of "Yautia" (although I think Yautia is similar but different) by other Spanish speakers. It is a root vegetable common in the Spanish speaking Carribean nations and some parts of Central America as far as I know. It is extremely similar to "Taro." Malanga's flesh can come in a few colors it comes in white, yellow, and light pink. I have only had the white I cannot find the yellow one but Im sure if I look for it hard enough I can find it, but the white one is the one commonly used.

It is starchy yet, I read online sometimes people find it "earthy and nutty" to me it's just unique, you gotta try it to know what it is like.

Our favorite way to consume this vegetable in my house hold is making "fritters" out of it, their is 2 versions to this fritter a "sweet" version and a "savory" version. Today I will show you the savory version.

Ingredients:
-3 medium Malangas (washed, peeled, immediately put in water with a squeeze of like to prevent oxidation and color change)
-2 tablespoons flour or 1 heaping tablespoon flour (alot of people don't do it, but it makes it "full proof" as in it won't fall apart gauranteed, especially after resting 1 hour)
-1 baking soda
-2 beaten eggs
-2 cloved of garlic mashed to a paste in a mortar or through a garlic press
-1 small handful minced parsley or cilantro
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
(1)In the second smallest hole in the grater (I use the one that is good for zesting) grate the peeled drained "Malanga." Now add flour, baking soda, eggs, mashed garlic, minced cilantro or parsley and salt. Incorporate well. It should be like a doughy paste.

(2)Cover mixture well with a plastic wrap in a bowl or with a lid. I used both. Let it rest 1 hour.

(3)After 1 hour.Heat oil on medium high heat in small pan, when oil is hot enough add Malanga by spoonfuls do not crowd it, when it turns golden brown on one side, flip to other side and cook until everything is golden brown. (Make sure inside is cooked you don't want raw Malanga it may be poisonous if raw)

(4)Put on plate with paper towels. Make in small batches and don't over crowd. This is the picture of 1 small batch, my mother made this one, I like to make them smaller, I just drop it by tablespoon size and make it kind of more rounder, but it's my personal preferance.


(5)Also "Malanga" roots tend not to be consistent sometimes they come out more thick and starchy than others. Some may need more flour some may need less, in general what I do works with it anyway.

P.S. You may substitute the "Malanga" for "Ñame", "Taro" of any size or "Yautia" I have substituted Malanga for Taro root in this recipe I've used Taro several times in place of Malanga.

Ñame Con Mojo de Ajo (True Yam in Garlic Lime Sauce)

Ñame (pronounced Nyame) is a type of yam, it is not sweet at all very starchy, similar to a potato but not really, it is more starchy and heavy. It can go by other names I went online to research it, some people call it "true yam" or "tropical yam"

This dish uses a very common method, which is simply boiling a starchy vegetable in salted water til tender then draining and eating with "Mojo de Ajo" garlic lime sauce, but I must warn this isn't something that any palate can handle, Mojo de Ajo is extremely garlicky and sour so many not used to it may not like it.

Also I just wanted to share that Cuban cuisine has plenty of starchy vegetables that are used, Cuban cuisine is not low carb friendly we pretty much consume probably every single type of carb laden food, we eat plenty of rice and beans, adore sugar, love good bread, have corn based dishes, and we love starchy vegetables like Yucca, Malanga, Boniato, Ñame, Potatoes, and also Winter Squashes to name a few.

Heck my grandmother is even familiar with "Purple Yam" also goes by names such as "Ube" (called that by Filipinos) and the Chinese here in stores MISTAKENLY call it "Taro" (taro is another type of root I have no idea why the confusion) My grandmother calls this yam "Boniato de Vino" (which means something like Sweet Potato of Wine) don't know how she became familiar with it, she said her family grew it in their farm near Havana before Castro I don't know the name of the farm, or what area I need to ask her later,

That's not to say there aren't healthy choices, the problem with Cuban food is it's so good people tend to eat seconds and get fat, luckily I try my hardest to practice moderation so I don't gain weight and I exercise to.

Ingredients:
-Ñame (true yam)
-water
-salt
-Mojo de Ajo (Garlic Lime Sauce click here to see recipe)
Directions:
(1)Peel root, cut into large chunks, remove any dark markings, add to water immediately because it oxidizes quickly and browns, bring to a boil with salt boil for 25-35 minutes until tender, DO NOT EAT RAW ITS POISONES!
(2)Drain, spoon some of the Mojo sauce over it in a dish, and serve, also reserve some mojo for people to spoon more over the root if they desire (heck we finished the whole thing of Mojo and NO WE DO NOT STINK!

Chuletas de Puerco Cubanas (Cuban Pork Chops)

In my house we really have no name for this dish it's simply "Chuletas de Puerco" which means "Pork Chops" which can be prepared a number of ways but we usually make it the Cuban way or more exactly my grandmas way. These are seasoned with cumin, salt, garlic, and freshly squeezed lime juice then pan-fried in olive oil and in the drippings we sautee tons of onions until cooked to eat on the side or over the chops this is called "Encebollado" which means in onions, smothered in onions or with onions.

In my household we almost always sautee a bunch of onions after pan-frying or cooking meats by browning and cooking until done in a pan, we will always sautee onions in the drippings, I guess we are just onion lovers.

Ingredients:
-4 pork chops (or more depends how many your feeding and peoples appetite)
-4-5 cloves of garlic, mashed to a paste with a mortar or in a garlic press (it's about 1 clove or 2 per chop)
-juice of 1-2 limes or 1 1/2 limes
-1 teaspoon of ground cumin (more to taste or less cuban food is heavy on cumin)
-salt to taste 1-2 teaspoons of salt
-extra-virgin olive oil to pan-fry
-1 1/2 really large onions or 3 medium ones or 4 small ones julienned (optional)
-juice of 1 more lime (for onions)

Directions:
(1)Rub meat with mashed garlic, salt, cumin, and lime juice (I simply mash everything in the mortar add lime there then mix well and rub all over meat, my grandma just rubs everything on individually in no particular order)
(2)Heat oil on medium high in a large pan, when oil is hot enough (you can test it with a wooden spoon if it bubbles around it it's ready) now add pork chops and cook on each side 10-15 minutes until browned so a total of 20-30. Some of the garlic will kinda burn but that is okay for this dish.
(3)Now set aside, in pan if you have to much oil you may pour some out if not well now add your onions, salt them well, sautee until caramelized and has no raw taste and picking up drippings, deglaze with lime juice while sauteeing.
(4)Turn of heat and place chops over the onions, or push them aside and set the chops next to them.
(5)To serve, simply put onions next or over chops on your plate. Serve with a nice raw salad or fried plantains and rice with beans or just rice.