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Atol shuco
Atol shuco: sour black-corn drink with pumpkin seeds and beans
In San Salvador's Plaza Libertad and outside churches on cool mornings, atol shuco is ladled from steaming clay pots into gourd bowls. Shuco means 'dirty', for its dusky purple-grey colour: it is made from fermented black corn, so it tastes slightly sour and earthy, topped with ground toasted pumpkin seeds, a few whole black beans and a pinch of chilli salt. It is savoury and filling rather than sweet. The usual mistake is leaving the masa to ferment too long in a hot kitchen; check it after a day and use it as soon as it smells pleasantly tangy. Throw it away if you see mould or it smells unpleasant. Chef's tip: if you can't wait for fermentation, a squeeze of lime at the end gives a similar tang.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1.3 litres waterdivided
- ½ tsp salt
To top
- 1 ⅜ oz hulled pumpkin seeds
- 3 ½ oz cooked black beansdrained
- ½ lime (optional)only if not fermented
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 4 oz blue or black corn masa harina with 500 ml of 0.5 litres water in a bowl to a smooth paste. Cover loosely and leave at cool room temperature for 24–36 hours, until it smells lightly sour, like yoghurt.
Step 2: Toast 1 ⅜ oz hulled pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until they pop, then grind them to a coarse powder.
5 minStep 3: Whisk the soured masa with the remaining 0.8 litres water and ½ tsp salt in a pan.
Step 4: Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, whisking constantly so it doesn't catch, and cook until it thickens to the consistency of thin custard and no longer tastes raw.
20 minStep 5: Warm 3 ½ oz cooked black beans in a little of their liquid.
3 minStep 6: Ladle into bowls and top each with beans, a spoonful of ground seeds, a pinch of 1 tsp chilli flakes mixed with salt and ½ lime if using. Drink hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does atol shuco take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cooked black beans?
- Kidney or pinto beans, same amount.
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