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Aborrajados
Fried cheese-stuffed plantain
Aborrajados: Cali's sweet ripe plantain slices stuffed with cheese, dipped in batter and fried
ColombianCali's bakeries and Sunday food stalls by the Pance river sell aborrajados all day: thick slices of very ripe plantain, fried soft, pressed around a slab of white cheese, sometimes with guava paste, then coated in a light batter and fried again until golden. The result is sweet, salty and gooey, a snack you eat with your hands alongside a glass of lulada or champús. Choose plantains with skins almost completely black; yellow ones are too starchy and never get sweet. Queso blanco or campesino is often set with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian mozzarella or similar. The usual mistake is batter that is too thick, giving a heavy, bready shell; it should coat like thin pancake batter. Chef's tip: chill the stuffed plantain parcels for 10 minutes before battering; they hold together much better in the oil.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe plantainsskins almost black, peeled and each cut into 4 thick diagonal slices
- 3 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor frying
- 7 oz white melting cheesequeso blanco or mozzarella, cut into 4 slices; traditionally made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian (microbial-rennet) cheese
- 2 ⅞ oz guava paste (optional)sliced thinly
For the batter
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup whole milk
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 3 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the 2 very ripe plantains slices until golden and soft right through.
5 minStep 2: Drain on paper, then press each slice flat between two sheets of baking paper with the base of a pan, to about 1 cm thick.
Step 3: Sandwich one slice of 7 oz white melting cheese, and a slice of 2 ⅞ oz guava paste if using, between two plantain slices and press the edges together. Chill for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Whisk 3 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 pinch salt, 1 egg and ½ cup whole milk into a smooth batter about as thick as single cream.
Step 5: Reheat the oil to 350°F. Dip each parcel in the batter to coat completely and fry, turning once, until the batter is puffed and deep golden and the cheese starts to ooze.
4 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aborrajados take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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