) and then sort of eaten while scooping/dipping in a fermented cabbage.
I've never seen a real pupusa...so I am flying blindfolded on this one, but the official groundhog(g) method is finally starting to settle in, shape up, and step up to the plate. Everybody who has tried these current groundhog(g) pupusas gives them approval:
So, again, not knowing what the heck it is I'm even going for...here is the groundhog(g) pupusa guideline I am now following...gluten-free, yummy, easy and definitely fiddle-able for the restless chefs among us:
(From what I read, most countries use masa harina flour as pupusa flour...mine haven't been that good yet, so I use rice flour, as they do in El Salvador for now)---
Pupusas:
About 1/2 tsp. salt to 1 cup of rice flour. Use whatever amount of rice flour you think you'll need...1 cup makes about 4 pupusas for me.
Enough H 2 O (water or agua if we are attempting to be authentic!) added to the rice flour to make a workable dough like Play-Doh.
Divide the Play-Doh stuff into as many pieces as pupusas you wanna make.
Make a small, round "mud-pie," as thin as you can manage it without it becoming too fragile, for the bottom of each proposed pupusa, using only half of the dough intended for each pupusa.
Get a griddle hot (I use cast iron and for this need either no cooking spray, or very little) and lay those rounds on the hot griddle.
Spoon on filling...use only a small amount (see filling below).
Make tops for each one and set tops on as they cook...with a flat turner, pat around sides of each pupusa to encourage sides to close (this won't entirely close/seal the sides, but it's helpful).
Turn over once and allow to brown on both sides.
Now for the Pupusa Filling! (this is getting fun!
)
I have been taking a can of black beans (this won't take the whole can unless you're making pupusas for your entire block!
)-- I add to the black beans a finely chopped onion, chopped garlic (2 or 3 cloves), cumin (don't make me guess how much!!! 
maybe about 1 tsp for 1/2 can of the beans????) chopped tomatoes, just enough so it looks like filling, and either chopped peppers of any type...jalapeno or banana peppers, or whatever...make it as mild or as hot as you like.
As to the Pickled Cabbage Side Kick
I have no idea what this stuff should look or taste like...can only imagine.
Here's what has worked well with us so far (but since we are flying blind, we might be way off base here...but it TASTES good!!!)...
I have used fresh hot kim-chee (plan to make my own, but hven't had time--saurkraut seemed a little yuckie with these)
We also dip them in any good salsa (homemade or storebought), pickle relish, or guacamole.
As I said, they are definitely a fiddle-faddle type thing to be played around with. This is how mine are today, and everyone who has eaten them with us has liked them quite a bit. However, i should add that none of us have ever heard of, tasted, or seen a REAL pupusa...so these might be far enough removed to not really be entitled to that nomenclature (
oh, it's so ridiculous when groundhog(g)s resort to using them big fancy words!!! 
).
Maybe we should just rename the things!
little 
face 
