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Mbejú
Paraguayan cassava starch and cheese griddle cake, crisp outside and chewy within
Mbejú (say 'mbeh-JOO') is a Guaraní breakfast and merienda: cassava starch rubbed with butter, cheese and a little milk into damp crumbs, then pressed into a hot pan where it fuses into a thick, chewy, crisp-edged cake. It's eaten in the countryside with cocido (sweet toasted yerba tea with milk) on cool mornings, cut into wedges. It's naturally gluten free and very quick. Chef's tip: the mix should look like damp sand, not a dough; if you can squeeze a handful and it just holds, it's right.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rub 9 oz cassava (tapioca) starch, ½ tsp salt and 2 ⅛ oz butter together with your fingertips until even.
Step 2: Mix in 1 egg and 7 oz fresh cheese or mozzarella, then sprinkle in ¼ cup milk a little at a time, rubbing between your palms, until it forms damp crumbs that hold together when squeezed. Common mistake: adding too much milk; a wet dough becomes gummy instead of crisp.
Step 3: Melt ⅓ oz butter in a 20–22 cm non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat. Tip in half the crumbs and press them firmly into an even 1.5 cm layer.
1 minStep 4: Cook for 5–6 minutes until the bottom is golden and the cheese has fused the crumbs. Slide onto a plate, invert back into the pan and cook the other side for 4 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Repeat with the rest. Cut into wedges and eat warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mbejú take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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