Enchiladas Salvadoreñas Rápidas
Enchiladas Salvadoreñas Rápidas·(en-chee-lah-dahs sahl-vah-doh-ren-yahs rah-pee-dahs)
Antojitos: Weeknight Hacks and Street Food Fixes
If you grew up with Salvadoran parents, the scent of achiote-laced masa hitting hot oil signals the weekend. But these aren't the soft, rolled enchiladas of Mexico; Salvadoran enchiladas are glorious, crispy tostadas piled high with beans, beef hash, tangy curtido, and salty cheese. For the diaspora kid longing for that exact taste on a random Tuesday, the secret lies in technique. A dash of baking soda in the masa ensures a shatteringly crisp base, while a hot-water hack for the cabbage slaw and a quick-simmered picado bypass hours of labor without sacrificing an ounce of soul.
Before you start
Blend the beans to a smooth puree.
Instead of slow-cooking beans from scratch, pureeing high-quality canned beans in a blender creates the authentic, spreadable texture required for the base layer.
Chop the hash vegetables with precision.
The potatoes and carrots must be cut into a very tight, 1/4-inch brunoise so they cook rapidly in the skillet and integrate seamlessly with the ground beef.
Ingredients
- green cabbage1/2 med
- carrot1 med
- red onion1/2 small
- apple cider vinegar1/2 cup
- warm water1/2 cup
- dried oregano1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- masa harina2 cup
- Sazón with coriander and annatto2 tsp
- baking soda1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- warm water2 cup
- canola oil1 cup
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- ground beef1 lb
- yellow onion1/2 med
- cloves garlic2 small
- Yukon gold potato1 med
- carrot1 med
- yellow mustard1 tsp
- beef bouillon powder1 tsp
- water1/4 cup
- canned small red beans15 oz
- tomato sauce1/2 cup
- eggs3 large
- Queso Duro Blando1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Quick-pickle the curtido slaw.
Place the shredded cabbage, grated carrot, and sliced onion in a heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water over them to cover, and let sit for exactly one minute before draining completely. Toss the softened vegetables with the vinegar, warm water, oregano, and salt, then set aside to marinate while you cook.
- 02
Fry the beef and vegetable hash.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add the ground beef, and break it apart until heavily browned. Stir in the minced onion and garlic until fragrant, then add the diced potato, diced carrot, mustard, beef bouillon, and water. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the liquid evaporates.
- 03
Mix and press the seasoned masa.
In a large bowl, whisk together the masa harina, Sazón, baking soda, and salt, then gradually knead in the warm water until the dough feels like soft, warm clay. Divide the dough into golf-ball-sized spheres, place each between two sheets of plastic, and use a heavy skillet or tortilla press to flatten them into 1/8-inch thick discs.
- 04
Fry the masa bases until shatteringly crisp.
Heat about a half-inch of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully lower the masa discs into the hot oil, frying for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and rigid, then transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet.
- 05
Build the enchilada architecture.
Spread a generous layer of warm, blended refried beans over each crispy masa base to act as culinary mortar. Top with a heaping spoonful of the beef hash, a small handful of tangy curtido, a drizzle of warm tomato sauce, a slice of hard-boiled egg, and a heavy dusting of salty Queso Duro Blando.
Notes
Do not skip the baking soda.
Grandma's golden secret for a light, porous masa cake relies entirely on the baking soda interacting with the hot oil to prevent the dough from becoming a dense, tooth-breaking puck.
Finding the right cheese.
If you cannot find Salvadoran Queso Duro Blando, substitute Pecorino Romano or Cotija; you need that dry, aggressively salty tang to act as an umami-rich finishing salt.