Mexican Sopes: Step By Step Recipe
Have you ever tried Mexican sopes? These appetizers are one of the most popular foods in Mexico and are small, thick corn tortillas that are pinched along the edges so that they have edges. Then they are fried in butter.
In general, different ingredients are added, among which cheese, refried beans, pork rinds and meat are the most common. Of course, like all Mexican dishes, they also have hot sauce.
According to various articles, sopes, like other recipes that are made with corn (such as enfrijoladas, enchiladas, quesadillas, tortilla chips or tacos), are foods that are consumed in small gatherings and even in large celebrations.
Traditional sopes recipe
To prepare sopes it takes some time, so it is advisable to do them when you already have some food to add on top. For example, leftover beans, stewed meat, or cooked chicken. On the other hand, you can also divide this recipe into two parts and prepare the sopes the day before.
Now, you will need a sturdy plastic bag, such as those used to store food in the freezer, a comal or griddle for cooking and a tortillera (press to make tortillas) or a glass mold, if not. have this last one.
Also, keep in mind that the cornmeal used to make them is nixtamalized. This means that it is precooked, so it is prepared only with water. Thus, to make it, an alkaline treatment is carried out that consists of cooking the corn in water with lime.
Ingredients for the dough
- 1 and a half cups of nixtamalized cornmeal.
- Cup of warm water: 1 and a quarter.
Ingredients for the fillings
- ½ cup Mexican cream or spiced cheese spread.
- Half a cup of fresh cheese.
- ¼ cup of chopped onion.
- Red or green sauce to taste.
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil or 2 of butter.
- Cup of refried beans (boiled beans that are then cooked in oil or butter).
- 1 and a half cups of cooked minced beef or chicken.
- 2 cups of chopped lettuce.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Optional garnishes
- 1 avocado, diced or sliced.
- Half a cup of chopped tomato.
- ⅓ cup finely sliced radishes.
- Pickled chili peppers and carrots.
Step by step to assemble the sope
- First, in a bowl, mix the cornmeal with the warm water. Knead until fully integrated. If necessary add more water, but do so cautiously because it can be sticky. The idea is that the dough is smooth and manageable.
- Then cover it with a damp cloth napkin to prevent it from drying out.
- Begin to divide the dough into balls; try to make them all the same size. When you’re done, cover them again with the cloth napkin.
- Now cut the plastic bag into two squares of the same size.
- Place a piece of plastic in the tortilla, put a ball of dough on top, cover with the other piece of plastic and close the tortilla with gentle pressure. Then remove the dough, remove the plastics and repeat the process. With this technique make all the tortillas.
- If you don’t have this utensil to make the tortillas, use a glass mold. In this case, put the plastic on the counter and imitate the process.
- When you are done, heat the comal to medium heat, place the tortillas one by one on the fire and, after 1 minute, turn the dough to cook on the other side. Keep in mind that if you let it cook longer, the dough will dry out.
- Finally, remove the soup from the comal with the help of a spatula and leave it in a container so that it does not lose temperature. Now it is time to form the border by pinching the edges with your fingers.
Armed with the Mexican sopes
- Heat the oil or butter in a skillet. Place the sopes in it and lightly fry for 30 seconds on each side; this time is enough for them to brown and heat up. Then remove them from the pan and place them on a plate on top of paper napkins to absorb excess fat.
- Now is the time to fill them out. You can put the beef or chicken, lettuce, cheese or the ingredients you prefer. On top of everything add the sauce.
Sope de nopal recipe
Another variety that you can make of Mexican sopes is by using fresh nopal instead of the famous corn tortillas. In this case, then, the nopal will serve as the base or container.
In addition, according to various studies, this food has nutraceutical characteristics that have aroused interest in European and Asian regions, as they are beneficial for the treatment of various diseases, they are a source of vitamin C, minerals and soluble and insoluble fiber.
Ingredients
Step by Step
- To begin, you have to shape the nopales. To do this, use a cup, a lid or some round element that you can place on the nopal.
- Then, with the help of a knife, start cutting them until you get a round shape.
- On the other hand, chop the lettuce, add salt and reserve.
- Meanwhile, heat a griddle or comal over medium heat, add a pinch of pepper to each nopal that you have cut and place them on the hot griddle. Let them cook on both sides until they change color.
- Once ready, remove them from the heat, place them on a wooden board or plate and spread the refried beans.
- Then spread the cream cheese, add the lettuce and enjoy.
Nopal sopes are usually lighter than traditional dishes because they do not have corn flour, however, like the previous recipe, you can also add meats, sauces or other ingredients that are to your liking.
Prepare some delicious Mexican sopes
As you will see, Mexican sopes are easy appetizers to prepare. In addition, if you do not have the typical utensils or ingredients that are used to make them, such as Mexican cream, comal or tortillera, you can still make them.
Remember that you can add beef, chicken, vegetables, legumes or whatever you prefer. Do not stop trying these exquisite recipes.
