On The Range is a weekly exploration of the history and lore of Texas menu items.
If Cole Porter, world-famous composer, musical philosopher and inspiration for the Jonas Brothers...yeah, right...were alive
today and writing about food instead of music, he might term El Salvador's
love affair with pupusas this way:
"Birds eat them/Bees eat them/Even educated fleas eat them."
And in El Salvador, make no mistake, El Presidente himself partakes of the
humble street food. So beloved are the hand-made corn flatbreads that
November 13th has been declared National Pupusa Day in that country.
Basically, pupusas are created by shaping masa harina or fresh masa into
flat corn cakes, preferably by slapping them from hand to hand much like a
tortilla--although using a tortilla press is also acceptable. After shaping
the masa mix into small balls, pupusas are stuffed with a filling and
are fried in a griddle or skillet until done. Ground or shredded pork and
shredded cheese are commonly employed as fillings, along with onions,
garlic, jalapenos, chopped tomato and tomato broth, cumin and salt.
Whatever ends up inside, the finished cakes should be served with curtido, a pickled slaw-like salad that helps bring out the flavor. In her article, "Bona Fide Pupusas/Classic or Clueless? Here's How To Tell," Houston Chronicle writer Eyder Peralta confirms this practice and describes her experience with genuine pupusas this way:
"Before you eat a pupusa, it's tradition to sprinkle it with curtido, a pickled salad made with cabbage and carrots. I took a bite. The cheese had melted. The salty pork mixed well with the tart vinegar. And the tortilla, moist and just slightly sweet, complemented it all just like a perfect crust compliments a pizza."
At the time she wrote the article (2006), Peralta was concerned because Taco
Cabanas in the Houston area were advertising pupusas. Three years later, the
trend seems to have died a natural death: there's no trace of
pupusas on Cabana's online menu.
Peralta also notes that pupusas are traditionally made from corn flour, but
that here in the states, Maseca, a corn-masa hybrid, is often employed
instead. She adds that high-end Salvadoran restaurants will use
rice flour, as well as wheat flour for the carb-conscious.
A quick survey of establishments on Belt Line Road in Carrollton
reveals
little mom-and-pop places serving pupusas, in case you're suitably
adventurous. But say that your significant other is overly timid and
will
not eat anything Hispanic except for Tex-Mex. What then? Luckily,
Glorias
Restaurant has eight locations in Texas, including several right here
in the DFW area. You can chow down on pupusas, platanos fritos (fried
bananas),
and other "Salvatex" dishes, or you can play it safe with burritos,
chimichangas, and the like.
Glorias serves pupusas with black beans, rice
and curtido, and you can choose from pork or cheese. Be sure to sprinkle the
curtido on top.