Enchiladas Salvadoreñas

If you're not from El Salvador, you will immediately look at the images in this post and think the name was wrongly typed... but it's not. What is typically known in Mexico and in the US as a 'Tostada' in El Salvador we know it as an 'Enchilada."

I clearly remember getting into an argument with one of my friends from Mexico at the age of 6 or 7 years over what this was called... I didn't quite understand at that age that things could be called differently in other countries.

What are enchiladas Salvadoreñas?

It's the same concept as a tostada but made with ingredients Salvadoreños. The enchilada is typically made with Salvadoran refried beans, cooked and seasoned ground beef, curtido, boiled egg, queso duro and tomato sauce on top. What makes it unique in my opinion is the red refried beans, the curtido and the queso duro.

How to make Enchiladas Salvadoreñas?

I normally make these when I have a lot of the ingredient left over from other meals, like the curtido that's typically left over after I make pupusas. A lot of these items I have already posted the recipe before so I will link it to the step by step post below.

Ingredients:

• Fried tortilla: You can make handmade corn flour tortillas and fry them or fry a store bough tortilla. It needs to be golden brown and crunchy. I typically fry it in vegetable oil medium heat about 2-3 mins.

• Frijoles Salvadoreños refritos: This is a two step process, first boil the beans and then refry the beans. Step by step instructions can be found under recipes.

• Ground beef (Or choice of protein): In a medium heat sauce pan add the oil. Then add in the ground protein and all of the ingredients listed below. Cook until well done (about 10 mins) and set aside to cool for 10 mins.

- 1/2 tbsp of olive oil

- 1-2 garlic cloves

- 1lb of ground protein

- 1tsp of paprika

- 1tsp of cumin

- 1tsp of oregano

- 1tsp of beef bouillon

- Salt and pepper to taste

• Curtido: A freshly made version can be used or pickled overnight. If you want it pickled then make it minimum a day before to allow for it to pickle but if you want it fresh, you can make it the day of. Recipe can be found here.

• Boiled egg: Boil eggs for about 7 mins or until they are well done and slice them.

• Queso duro: Typically hard Salvadoran cheese is shredded and added on top. If you live in a state that this is hard to get you can use queso fresco or any cheese you want.

• Salsa de tomate: This is the finishing touch!

Remember that you can exclude any ingredient you don't like or have! As always for more recipes or videos follow me @flourishwithg on IG or TikTok.