Buñuelos De Yuca, Boniato Y Malanga Recipe

Grate and drain

Peel the yuca, boniato and malanga. Using the large holes of a box grater or a food processor with a coarse shredding disk, coarsely grate each root vegetable. Place the grated mixture in a large bowl.

Remove excess moisture

Gather the grated roots in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth and twist firmly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible (you should extract at least 1/2 cup). Transfer the drained solids back to the bowl. Reserving a little of the extracted liquid is optional for thinning later.

Combine dry ingredients

To the drained grated mixture add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, ground cinnamon and ground anise (if using). Toss to combine evenly.

Finish batter

Add the beaten egg and vanilla to the vegetable-flour mixture. Mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together when pinched; it should be moist but not runny. If the mixture seems too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of the reserved liquid or water. If it is very wet, add up to 1 tablespoon more flour.

In a small saucepan combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, orange or lemon peel and star anise (or wrapped anise seeds). Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened and fragrant. Remove from heat, stir in the lime or lemon juice and discard the peel and whole spices (or strain if you used seeds). Keep warm or cool slightly to room temperature — syrup should be pourable but syrupy.

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot or deep-fryer to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer for safety and consistent results. There should be at least 1 1/2 inches of oil in the pot so fritters can float.

Using wet hands or two spoons, form 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized mounds of the batter (or use a small cookie scoop). Flatten slightly into a disc — buñuelos made with root vegetables are denser than yeasted dough, so slightly flattened discs fry more evenly.

Carefully lower 4–6 buñuelos at a time into the hot oil, do not overcrowd. Fry, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 3–4 minutes per batch depending on size. Internal pieces should be cooked through; adjust heat to maintain 325–350°F so exterior doesn’t burn before inside cooks.

Transfer fried buñuelos to a rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain briefly (30–60 seconds). While still warm, either toss lightly in a mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon or plate plain to be glazed.

To serve, arrange warm buñuelos on a platter. Spoon warm cinnamon-anise syrup over them so they soak slightly (use as much as desired). Alternatively, serve syrup on the side for dipping.

Garnish with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately while warm and crisp.