Yuca frita recipe

Cassava boiled then deep-fried, served under a heap of curtido, cooked tomato salsa and crisp pork chicharrón.

5 hours and 30 minutesmedium11 ingredients

Ingredients

• 1000 g yuca
• 500 g pork belly
• 0.5 cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 120 ml white vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 tomatoes
• 0.5 green bell pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1000 ml vegetable oil

How to make Yuca frita

1. Make the curtido ahead: scald half a cabbage, finely shredded, with boiling water, drain after 1 minute, then mix with 1 grated carrot, half an onion thinly sliced, 1 tsp dried oregano, 120 ml white vinegar, 120 ml water and 2 tsp salt; refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so it turns lightly tangy.
2. For the salsa roja, boil 4 tomatoes, a quarter onion and half a green bell pepper for 10 minutes, blend, then simmer 10 minutes with a pinch of salt until slightly thickened.
3. For the chicharrón, cut 500 g pork belly into 3 cm cubes, cover with water, add ½ tsp salt and cook over medium heat until the water evaporates, then let the pieces fry in their own fat until golden, about 45 minutes in all.
4. Peel 1 kg yuca, cut it into thick sticks and remove the woody central cord.
5. Boil the yuca in salted water for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender but not falling apart; drain very well and let it steam dry.
6. Heat 1 liter oil to 180 °C and fry the yuca in batches for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden outside and soft inside; drain on paper towels.
7. Pile the fried yuca on a plate, cover with curtido, spoon salsa roja over it and top with the chicharrón; fried pepescas (small fish) can replace the pork.

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