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1
Peel and Boil the Cassava
25 minutes
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Peel the cassava thickly with a sharp knife, cut it into large chunks and put it in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until a fork slides into the thickest piece with no resistance. Drain well and leave the chunks in the hot pot for 2 minutes so the steam dries them. Pull out the tough, stringy core from the centre of each piece.
Boil the cassava until it is truly soft — undercooked cassava makes a lumpy dough that will not hold on the skewer.
Done when: Fork-tender all the way through, cores removed, surface dry from the steam.
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2
Mash and Mix the Dough
5 minutes
Warm, about 60°C (140°F)
Mash the hot cassava with a potato masher or ricer until smooth, with no lumps. Add the butter, warm milk, beaten egg and salt, and mix. Fold in the grated mozzarella and Edam and knead with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth, even and slightly sticky. Taste and add a pinch more salt only if the cheeses have not salted it enough.
Work while the mash is hot: warm cassava kneads smooth, cold cassava turns stiff and crumbly.
Done when: A smooth, pliable dough that holds its shape when squeezed.
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3
Shape the Cakes on Skewers
10 minutes
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Oil your hands lightly. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, about 220 g each. Take one portion and press it around the middle of a soaked bamboo skewer, moulding it into a compact cylinder about 12 cm long and 4 cm thick, with the ends of the skewer sticking out at both sides. Smooth the surface with wet hands and set the skewers on an oiled tray.
Wet hands stop the dough sticking to your fingers; press firmly so there are no air pockets, or the cake will split on the grill.
Done when: Firm, even cylinders with no cracks and no air pockets.
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4
Grill Until Golden
12 minutes
Medium-high grill, about 200°C (400°F)
Oil the grill grates with the oiled paper towel. Lay the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes with tongs, until the outside is golden brown with darker toasted spots and the cheese inside is melted. The cakes are done when the surface is crisp and the centre feels soft and yielding when pressed gently.
Do not move the skewers for the first 3 minutes — the crust needs time to set, or the cakes will stick and tear.
Done when: Golden brown all over with toasted spots; soft and stretchy inside.
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5
Rest and Serve
3 minutes
Serve warm, about 60°C (140°F)
Lift the skewers off the grill and let them rest for 3 minutes so the cheese settles and the cakes firm up enough to eat from the stick. Serve warm, one skewer per person, with coffee and llajwa sauce on the side.
Serve sonso warm: as it cools the cheese firms and the cakes lose their stretch.
Done when: Warm, golden cakes that pull apart with melted cheese.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the skewers straight off the grill, while the cheese is still stretchy and the outside is crisp. A spoonful of llajwa or a cup of hot coffee alongside is all it needs.
Bolivia
2h 25m
