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Yuca con mojo
Boiled cassava with sizzling garlic, onion and sour-orange dressing
Yuca con mojo is a fixture of the Cuban Nochebuena feast and of everyday family dinners in Matanzas and Miami alike: chunks of cassava boiled until they crack open and turn soft, then drenched in a hot dressing of olive oil, lots of garlic, onion rings and sour orange juice. The yuca soaks up the tangy, garlicky oil like a sponge. Serve it beside moros y cristianos or black beans. Chef's tip: add a splash of cold water to the pot halfway through boiling; Cuban cooks say it 'shocks' the yuca and helps it split open and turn tender.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the yuca
For the mojo
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 2 lb cassava (yuca) into 6 cm chunks, then split each lengthwise and pull out the tough woody core string.
Step 2: Put the yuca in a pan, cover with cold water by 3 cm, add 2 tsp salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cook for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Pour in 1 cup cold water, bring back to the boil and cook for 8–15 minutes more, until the pieces crack along their edges and a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain well and put in a warm serving dish.
12 minStep 4: For the mojo, warm ½ cup olive oil in a small pan over a medium-low heat. Add 6 cloves garlic and 1 onion and cook gently until the onion is soft and the garlic smells sweet and is barely golden, 3–4 minutes.
4 minStep 5: Take the pan off the heat, stand back and pour in ¼ cup sour orange juice (it will sizzle and spit), then stir in ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp salt.
1 minStep 6: Pour the hot mojo over the yuca straight away so it soaks in, turn gently and serve warm. The common mistake is letting the yuca cool first: cold yuca stays waxy and won't drink up the dressing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yuca con mojo 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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