Tapioca Baiana: Yucca Starch Empanadas

What is it? Made from yucca starch (povilho), it's a delicious empanada with a unique texture, somewhat gummy with a crunch. You can fill it with what ever you want. traditionally filled with carne seca (dried Brazilian meat), cheese, coconut, and doce de leite. For this recipe we filled it with mango, shredded coconut and pepper jack cheese.

Where is it from? Salvador Bahia, there is some debate as to the dish having native origins.

Info to make you sound smart - When Portuguese from the Azores arrived in the South of Brazil, they had a lot of trouble working with wheat so they experimented with Yucca (mandioca, macaxeira, aipim). The flours and starches they made spread through all of Latin America. More on this amazing tuber http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava

So let's get on with the recipe!
Difficulty level: 1 (out of 5) - The hardest part is finding the yucca starch

Comments before beginning: This is best served warm, immediately after preparation. There are two types of povilho: doce (sweet) and azedo (sour). Both work but I recommend the doce for this recipe. The ingredients are approximations, this dish is very forgiving. I use frozen mango because I can't get good, ripe fresh mango around here. It's all picked too green and "warehouse" ripened


Necessary Equipment
Cast iron or nonstick pan
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Bowl
Pitcher for water

Ingredients
 3 Cups Povilho Doce
1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen mango chunks, roughly diced
4 Tablespoons shredded coconut
4 slices of pepper jack cheese
Salt to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

Povilho is a very fine, white powder which first needs to be properly mixed with water for this recipe.
The trick is to work in the right amount of water. I recommend using a small pitcher and pouring the water in small batches. I also recommend using your hands for this.You are going to want to work water into the povilho until it is slightly moist. A good test is to press it between your fingers. The povilho should not stick. Now you have what people call Beiju. Don't confuse this with Beijo, which means kiss. I've included a video of what happens when you add too much water to povilho. DON'T STRESS, just add more povilho and work the flour until you achieve Beiju.

Now that you have the Beiju, you can make the pancakes/empanadas with what ever you prefer. The most traditional ones are shredded coconut, doce de leite, carne seca (Brazilian dried meat), and cheese. For this recipe I played around with a mix of shredded coconut, mango,  and pepper jack cheese slices. I added some extra pepper flakes because the cheese was a bit bland. To prep this, simply microwave the frozen mango chunks in a bowl, drain the liquid and add the coconut. Now would be a good time to season the mango with some salt. Trust me, salt will make things even more delicious. the cheese comes later during assembly...

Frying and filling the empanadas is a piece of cake. Heat pan over medium heat with no oil. Cover the bottom of the pan with about half an inch of the Beiju (see picture). The Beiju will congeal into a pancake which can be shaped  with a wooden spoon to achieve a uniform shape. Shake the pan to check if the Beiju is fully congealed, now you can "pancake flip" or for the less adventurous turn over using a spatula. Add a slice of the cheese and some of the coconut/mango filling.

Now you can fold the pancake over, and press down so that it seals shut. Let it cook and dry out for another minute or so on each side and serve hot!

Ant that's it! Serve for breakfast or as a snack with coffee, juice, or tea.

Let me know what you think. And remember: Food of Brazil - Eat it!