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Tacacho
Amazonian mashed roasted green plantain balls, smoky and savoury
Tacacho is the breakfast of the Peruvian Amazon, from Tarapoto to Iquitos: green plantains roasted over coals, mashed with fat and salt and shaped into balls. There it comes with cecina (smoked pork) and is mashed with lard and crackling; this vegan tacacho uses good oil and a pinch of smoked paprika for the same savoury, smoky depth. The balls are dense, chewy and starchy, crisp at the edges where the plantain charred, and they are eaten hot with a fiery chilli sauce or alongside stews. Use plantains that are fully green and firm. Chef's tip: mash the plantains while they are still very hot; as green plantain cools its starch sets and it won't bind into a smooth ball.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
To serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Peel the 4 green plantains: cut off both ends, score the skin lengthways along the ridges and prise it off with your thumbs. Green plantain skin is stubborn; rubbing a little oil on your hands stops them staining.
Step 2: Cut each plantain into 3 pieces. Roast them over a grill or a gas flame, or under a very hot grill, turning, for 15–20 minutes until spotted dark brown all over and tender when pierced. The charred bits give tacacho its flavour. (No grill? Fry the pieces gently in oil for 12–15 minutes.)
20 minStep 3: Meanwhile warm 5 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a low heat with 1 clove garlic and ½ tsp smoked paprika for 2 minutes, until the garlic just sizzles and smells sweet. Don't brown it.
2 minStep 4: Put the hot plantain in a large bowl or mortar and mash and pound it with a potato masher or pestle, adding the garlic oil a little at a time with 1 tsp salt. Keep working for 3–4 minutes until it forms a rough, sticky mass with a few small chunks.
4 minStep 5: With oiled hands, shape the mash into 4 tight balls, squeezing to compact them; they should hold firmly together without cracking.
Step 6: For crisp outsides, roll the balls briefly in a hot dry frying pan over a medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until golden in places.
3 minStep 7: Serve hot with 2 small hot chillies and 1 lime, or alongside a bean stew or fried mushrooms.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tacacho take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of smoked paprika?
- Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or a drop of liquid smoke.
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