GROUND BEEF GORDITA

 

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This Mexican Recipe Serves 4-6

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Ground Beef Gordita is a super delicious recipe to have if you’re a lover of Mexican or Spanish food. I hadn’t tried Gordita’s before as being in South Africa, there are not many restaurants that actually serve them. As a lover of this cuisine, I had to come up with my own recipe to create this masterpiece.

In Mexican & Spanish cooking, a gordita is a baked or fried dough made with masa & loaded with meat, cheese &/or different fillings. Arepas & Pupusas are impersonation of a Gordita signifies “fatty or chubby” in Spanish. There are two primary varieties of this dish, one which is commonly fried in a profound wok-formed comal,mostly consumed in Southern Mexico, & the other is baked on a normal comal. Gorditas are frequently had as a lunch or supper meal & often accompanied by a few variety of salsas.

Please take note that masa (a type of corn flour) is the primary ingredient for traditional Gordita’s. South African grocers do store corn flour also known as Maizena or corn starch but trust me it is not the same as masa. I have actually tried preparing the dough with Maizena & the dough was all gooey to a point that it would just slip off your fingers. I have added a little of Maizena to my mixture of all purpose flour & the result was delicious.

 

Ground Beef Gordita Ingredients:

Gordita:

• 1 ½ cups rapid boiling water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Additional vegetable oil for deep frying
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon corn flour (Maizena)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Ground Beef Filling:

• 500 grams mince (ground beef/lamb)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dhania powder
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon ginger & garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2-3 cups cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon jeera (cumin) powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• handful of mixed bell peppers, chopped
• 1 tomato
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Method:

1. 1. Add flour, corn flour (maizena), salt & baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
   2. 
   3. Roughly mix & add in the vegetable oil.
   4. 
   5. Pour in the rapid boiling water.
   6. 
   7. Mix well, it should be a clumpy texture. Empty contents onto a floured surface & begin kneading the dough until smooth & pliable.
   8. 
   9. The dough should be smooth similar to a roti or tortilla dough.
   10. 
   11. Next, seperate the large dough into tennis ball sizes.
   12. 
   13. Set aside the smaller balls.
   14. 
   15. Next, begin rolling out each ball of dough on a floured surface. It should be about an inch thick, similar to pita breads.
   16. 
   17. 
   18. Once all the dough balls are rolled out, toast on a hot pan, skillet or tawa.
   19. 
   20. Toast the first side for about a minute until slightly golden & then flip over, toasting the other side.
   21. 
   22. Once all the discs are toasted, set aside on a paper towel.
   23. 
   24. In a deep pot, add in the vegetable oil for deep frying. Once the oil is sizzling, drop in the toasted disc.
   25. 
   26. Fry one side for about 30 seconds & then flip over, slightly submerging the disc into the oil using a tong utensil.
   27. 
   28. The disc should begin to puff up like a puri.
   29. 
   30. Once it puffs up, remove from the oil.
   31. 
   32. Set aside fried gordita onto paper towel. Do the same for the rest.
   33. 
   34. Once all your gordita’s are fried, start preparing the filling.
   35. Chop onions & a handful of bell peppers.
   36. 
   37. Dice the tomato & set aside.
   38. 
   39. In a medium sized pot, drop in the onions, thyme & curry leaves.
   40. 
   41. Simmer for a minute & then add in the spices (garam masala, dhania powder, jeera powder, chilli powder & turmeric powder), followed by the ginger & garlic paste.
   42. 
   43. Mix well & simmer for a minute.
   44. 
   45. Thereafter, add in the tomatoes.
   46. 
   47. Mix well & allow the tomatoes to cook for 5 minutes. Add water if necessary.
   48. 
   49. When the tomatoes are cooked, drop in the mince (ground beef/lamb).
   50. 
   51. Mix, add in the bell peppers & salt to taste.
   52. 
   53. Give it a quick stir & allow the mince (ground beef/lamb) to cook for 15-20 minutes until brown & all of the liquid is absorbed.
   54. 
   55. Grate cheese & set aside.
   56. 
   57. Rinse & dry lettuce & set aside.
   58. 
   59. Go back to the gordita’s. Using a serated knife, gently begin cutting the edge of the gordita open – but only halfway as this will be the opening to fill them up.
   60. 
   61. 
   62. Once the gordita’s are slit, spoon a little of the mince (ground beef/lamb) mixture into it.
   63. 
   64. Next, top with cheese.
   65. 
   66. Thereafter, top with lettuce.
   67. 
   68. Finally, top with some salsa.
   69. 
   70. This Ground Beef Gordita is finally ready to devour.
   71. 
   72. 
   73. 
   74. This meal is quite satisfying on its own but you can add as many sides & fillings as you want to it.
   75. 
   76. Best eaten immediately. If the fried gordita is left out for a couple of hours, it will begin to get soft & won’t have that crispiness to it.