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Tortilla changa
Tortilla changa: Panama's thick fresh-corn griddle cake with white cheese
In the Azuero Peninsula and the farming towns of Los Santos and Herrera, changa is the breakfast of corn season: young sweet corn ground with a little sugar and butter and cooked on a griddle into a thick, sweet, soft-centred cake, eaten hot with a slab of salty queso blanco on top. It is simpler and wetter than an arepa, closer to a corn pancake. The common mistake is using a hot pan, which burns the sugary outside before the middle sets. Panamanian white cheese is usually made with animal rennet; a vegetarian paneer-style or halloumi-style cheese works well. Chef's tip: grate or blend the kernels with some texture left in; perfectly smooth batter spreads too thin.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb fresh corn kernelscut from about 4 cobs
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 oz buttermelted, plus a little for the pan
- 1 oz fine cornmealif the batter is runny
To serve
- 7 oz firm white cheese (queso blanco)sliced; vegetarian if needed
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Pulse 1 ⅛ lb fresh corn kernels in a blender with 1 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp salt to a thick, lightly textured batter. Stir in 1 oz butter, and 1 oz fine cornmeal if it doesn't hold its shape on a spoon.
3 minStep 2: Heat a lightly buttered non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Spoon in about 4 tablespoons of batter per cake and spread to 1 cm thick.
2 minStep 3: Cook for 4–5 minutes until the edges look set and the underside is golden brown, then flip and cook for 3–4 minutes more until firm to the touch.
15 minStep 4: Serve hot, each topped with a slice of 7 oz firm white cheese (queso blanco) so it softens on the warm cake.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tortilla changa take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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