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Pastel mandi'o
Paraguayan cassava-dough turnovers with a spiced beef filling
Pastel mandi'o are the golden half-moons sold at bus stations and street stalls all over Paraguay, especially in Asunción and around Holy Week: a soft dough of cooked cassava (mandi'o in Guaraní) and a little corn flour, wrapped round minced beef with onion, pepper, boiled egg and cumin, then fried. The mistake is a wet cassava dough that sticks and tears; drain the cassava well and add starch until it is smooth and pliable. Chef's tip: shape them between two sheets of cling film, which stops the soft dough sticking to the worktop.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Boil 2 ¼ lb cassava (mandioca) with 1 tsp salt for 25–30 minutes until very soft. Drain well and mash while hot until smooth. Never eat cassava raw or undercooked.
30 minStep 2: When the cassava is warm but not hot, knead in 2 ⅛ oz cassava starch (almidón) or cornflour until you have a soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Cover.
Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and cook 1 onion and ½ red pepper for 5 minutes. Add 14 oz beef mince and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Season with ½ tsp ground cumin and ¾ tsp salt.
15 minStep 4: Off the heat stir in 2 eggs and 2 spring onions and cool completely.
Step 5: Flatten golf-ball pieces of dough between cling film into 12 cm rounds. Fill with a spoon of filling, fold over using the film, and press the edges shut with a fork.
Step 6: Heat 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 350°F and fry 3 or 4 at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden. Drain and serve hot.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pastel mandi'o take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of red pepper?
- Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.
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