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1
Boil the Yuca Until Tender
25 Mins • Boiling
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Put the yuca chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water, add 3g of the salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Cook for 20–25 minutes until a fork slides through easily and the chunks start to split. Drain well and, while still hot, pull out the woody core running down the centre of each piece.
Do not undercook the yuca — hard centres will not mash smooth and the dough will crack when you shape it.
Done when: Fork-tender all the way through; chunks split open and the woody core pulls out cleanly.
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2
Cook the Seasoned Beef Filling
12 Mins • Stovetop
Medium-high heat; beef to 71°C (160°F)
While the yuca boils, heat the 15ml of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Soften the onion, sweet pepper and garlic for 3–4 minutes, then add the ground beef, breaking it into fine crumbles. Stir in the tomato, cumin, black pepper and the remaining 4g of salt and cook for 7–8 minutes until the beef is browned all the way through and almost no liquid remains. Stir in the culantro, then tip the filling into a bowl and let it cool completely.
Cook the filling dry — wet filling steams inside the fritter and blows the seal open in the oil.
Done when: Beef browned through to 71°C (160°F), crumbly and dry, with no liquid pooling in the pan.
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3
Mash and Knead the Yuca Dough
10 Mins • Mashing
Warm, straight from the pot
Mash the hot, drained yuca with a potato masher or a fork until completely smooth, then work in the beaten egg. Knead the warm dough on a clean board for 2–3 minutes until it holds together like soft clay. If it feels too sticky, wet your hands; if it cracks, knead in a teaspoon of water at a time.
Mash while the yuca is hot — cold yuca turns gluey and stiff and will not knead smooth.
Done when: A smooth, pliable dough that holds its shape when rolled and does not crack at the edges.
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4
Stuff and Shape the Torpedoes
15 Mins • Shaping
Room temperature
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 75g each. With wet hands, flatten one piece into an oval about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick, spoon a heaped tablespoon of the cooled beef filling (about 40g) into the centre, then fold the dough up and around it. Pinch the seam firmly shut and roll the parcel between your palms into a torpedo shape, about 10 cm (4 inches) long with tapered ends. Repeat with the rest, keeping the finished ones under a damp cloth.
Seal twice: pinch the seam, then roll — any gap will let oil in and filling out.
Done when: Twelve even torpedoes with no cracks or visible filling, seams fully closed.
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5
Fry Until Crisp and Golden
12 Mins • Deep-Frying
Oil at 175°C (350°F)
Heat the 500ml of frying oil in a deep, heavy pot to 175°C (350°F). Fry 3–4 carimañolas at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until they are evenly golden and crisp all over. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Let the oil come back to 175°C (350°F) between batches — crowded, cooling oil makes greasy fritters.
Fry a single test piece first: if it browns in under 2 minutes the oil is too hot; if it stays pale after 4 minutes, the oil is too cool.
Done when: Deep golden and crisp outside, hot and soft inside; the beef filling is steaming hot.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the carimañolas hot, within minutes of frying, with ají picante or your favourite hot sauce on the side. They are at their best while the crust still crackles — after 20 minutes they soften, so fry in batches if you are feeding a crowd.
Panama
1h 15m
Spain
Vietnam