Yuca con Mojo (Yucca con Mojo Salsa)

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Yucca with mojo is a delicious dish of traditional Cuban food and its origin is not so clear. However history says that it was popularized by African slaves who were brought by the Spanish to Cuba. The famous yucca has been a tuber that was appreciated by the Taínos, the native pre-Columbian Cubans.

There are two different types of cooking for cassava with mojo: boiled and fried. However, in both cases it is necessary to boil the cassava to obtain a soft texture. After achieving the required texture, it only remains to add the mojo sauce, and sometimes pork rinds. Remember to choose the yuccas well when buying them, to have a better experience when making the recipe and so that they are richer when eating them. These are some tricks or tips to keep in mind:

You should always choose yuccas with a thick and even appearance. Observe well if the white area of ​​the yucca has black dots or gray lines, this is a sign that the yucca is infected by a fungus and its consumption is not recommended.

Finally, we must make sure that the cassava peel is even and does not have small holes. Here is the recipe for cassava with mojo, to share and enjoy.

How to Prepare Cassava with Mojo:

1. The first step to prepare this traditional recipe for yuca with mojo is to clean the yuca with running water to remove any dirt they may have.
2. Once we have them very clean we are going to peel them by removing the outer skin and cut them into strips that are about a finger thick more or less. If you prefer it in the form of cubes of about two centimeters. We reserve them for later.
3. We are going to heat a pressure cooker with plenty of water over high heat. When the water is hot, add the chopped yuccas to cook them.
4. We let the water reach its boiling point, then we add a couple of glasses of cold water, a little salt and we will cover the pot so that the yucca cooks for about 35-40 minutes. Do not forget to place the safety valve so that the steam generated inside the pressure cooker is expelled to the outside.
5. While the yuccas are cooking we are going to take the opportunity to prepare the rest of the recipe.
6. We crush the peeled garlic cloves with a dry blow. Then we peel the onion and cut it into julienne shapes or into strips that are not too thick.
7. Once we have already peeled and chopped the ingredients, we heat a pan over low heat with a jet of virgin olive oil. First we fry the onion, and when it begins to take color we add the crushed garlic and the freshly squeezed juice of two oranges (we can also use lemons). We stir well for five to seven minutes to form the Creole mojo, we reserve.
8. We let the mojo rest for approximately 10 minutes so that all the flavors are well integrated.
9. When the yuca is boiled, remove it from the heat and drain it well. We serve the yucca in a bowl and pour the mojo that we have prepared over it. Finally, if it is to your liking, you can add some chopped parsley. And ready!

We assure you that once you taste these delicious yuccas with Cuban mojo, you will never forget them.