Carimañolas and Mango Ají

Ingredients

• 1500 g cassava (peeled and cut into medium pieces)
• salt (to taste for the dough)
• 400 g ground beef
• 1 ripe tomato (for the meat)
• 1 rama scallion
• 0.5 red onion (for the meat)
• 0.5 white onion (for the meat)
• 0.25 bell pepper (for the meat)
• 3 dientes garlic
• 1 cdta cumin
• 1 cdta paprika
• 1 cdta seasoning (seasoning of choice)
• oil (for the sofrito and deep frying)
• 0.5 ripe mango (for the ají)
• 0.25 vaso water (to process the mango)
• 0.25 red onion (for the ají)
• 0.25 bell pepper (for the ají)
• 0.25 white onion (for the ají)
• 1 ripe tomato (for the ají)
• 0.25 atado cilantro (fresh)
• 1 cdta black pepper
• garlic water (to taste)
• vinegar (to taste)
• olive oil (to taste)
• chili or hot pepper (to taste)
• orange juice (for blending the mango)
• lime juice (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Peel the cassava and cut it into medium-sized pieces.

2. 2

   Place the cassava in a pressure cooker with water and salt. Cook under pressure for a maximum of 7 minutes.

3. 3

   For the ají: cut the ripe mango, extract the pulp, and brown it in a greased pan on all sides.

4. 4

   Transfer the browned mango to a blender with a little water (or orange juice) and process until smooth.

5. 5

   In a bowl, mix the mango puree with the finely chopped red onion, white onion, tomato, and bell pepper.

6. 6

   Add fresh cilantro, garlic water, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili, and lime juice to taste. Set aside.

7. 7

   For the filling: prepare a sofrito by finely chopping the tomato, scallion, red onion, white onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

8. 8

   Sauté the vegetables in a pan with oil for 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Add the ground beef, cumin, paprika, seasoning, and salt. Add a little water and cook until the liquid reduces and the meat is dry. Set aside.

10. 10

    Once the cassava is cooked, remove the central fiber and mash it until you obtain a puree.

11. 11

    Grease your hands and knead the cassava puree vigorously until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers.

12. 12

    Take a portion of the dough, form a ball, and then flatten it to create a medium-thick disk.

13. 13

    Place a portion of the meat filling in the center and close the dough, giving it the characteristic oval shape of a carimañola.

14. 14

    Heat plenty of oil to medium temperature. Fry the carimañolas, ensuring the oil completely covers them to prevent them from breaking.

15. 15

    Remove when they are golden brown and serve hot with the mango ají.

Notes

It is crucial that the oil completely covers the carimañolas during frying to prevent them from bursting. The cassava dough should be worked while it is warm for a better consistency.

Nutrition per serving

• carimañolas
• fried foods
• colombian
• snack
• appetizer
• cassava
• ground beef
• mango