Timbal de malanga (taro cake)
- ▪︎1 kg of taro (peeled and thinly sliced)
▪︎1 pound of ground beef or pork
▪︎Parsley and coriander to taste
▪︎1 tablespoon of mustard
▪︎5 cloves of garlic and 1 onion
▪︎4 cachucha peppers
▪︎Bechamel or scrambled eggs and cheese (optional)
▪︎2 tablespoons of oil
Taro is one of the most sought after tubers in Cuba, it is a very healthy and nutritious food. You can always prepare different dishes with a very distinctive Cuban touch. We've already seen fried taro, mashed taro, mojo criollo taro, and delicious taro fritters. Today we are going to make a timbal de malanga, that is, a taro cake, from a recipe of the most authentic Cuban cuisine.
Using a potato peeler, chop the taro into thin slices.
Prepare the minced meat separately. Cook the picadillo with the garlic, onion, peppers, parsley and coriander, finely chopped, a tablespoon of oil and the mustard, until all the sauce is well reduced.
In a well-greased pan, we place a bed of sliced taro, then add the minced meat and the béchamel sauce, or the scrambled eggs, and the cheese, to finally place another layer of taro slices, and then a little oil on top. Cover and cook over low heat until golden brown on both sides.
This dish can be cooked in an oven or in a saucepan with a lid.
It would look like a cake, but with taro and picadillo, another exquisite dish original to Cuban culinary art.
Enjoy your meal this weekend, and see you soon in Havana, Cuba.
