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Availability depends on where you are. Easy to find when I go back to my childhood home in Stamford. When I lived in Alexandria, you could find dozens of places on the Richmond Hwy. But here in Pittsburgh, nada. Just not many Salvadoreans here - pretty much most of our immigrantion is from Asia, not Latin America.
FWIW, stuffed arepa (Venezuelan), is fairly close to pupusa in theory although the stuffings are different.
Actually made a porked filled one and a cheese one early this morning for lunch later today. Eating it with picked cabbage, onion and tomato bits.
We have a concentration of salvadoran mom and pop restrurants in the little Havana district in Miami.
But since my best friend and nieghbor is Hondruan she has taught me all sorts of central America's food. She use to make about 100 pupusas a day as a young girl to help here family and the workers on her farm, so this was there every day meals. Her favorite was chicharon (crispy pork skin) ground and used in the filling.
I just tried them for the first time a couple of weeks ago in Detroit. Had one with fish and another one with jalapenos and cheese. I'm a fan, but they are certainly not light fare!
...FWIW, stuffed arepa (Venezuelan), is fairly close to pupusa in theory although the stuffings are different.
Pupusas are made from nixtimal, corn that has been soaked/cooked in an alkaline solution, arepas are made from regular corn dough. That's why pupusas have a nutty tortilla flavor.
You can go to just about any town/city, large or small, and find a Mexican restaurant, but it is very difficult to find a pupuseria (Salvadoran cuisine).
Pupuserias are the first restaurants we look for when we travel. The food they offer is always so fresh and flavorful that I'm shocked they are so few and far between.
Is it because so few Americans have tried pupusas? How many here have tried and like pupusas?
I have tried them, and I love them. (L.A. transplanted native)
Really enjoy them - was taught to make them by a Salvadoran friend many yrs ago. Pork[like another poster said - chicharron],black beans, cheese{minus loroco - no one especially liked it}. The side - curtido - changed with the season, though always vinegar & cabbage,onions, peppers - sometimes tomatoes, carrots. There is a tiny papusa place within a mile of my house now, but at the the time we would drive to Elizabeth & buy them by the dozen. There they also made tamales, only on Sunday. with whole chicken drumsticks[bone in], potatoes, banana leaves. A great guacamole type thing which always included hard-boiled eggs; and macaroni/mayo salads which always included beets.?.......
LI NY is not that far neither is Queens. I am sure either one has Salvadorian food.
Hmm, turns out there is a lone pupusa shack along the 7-Line. Imma check it out once I get back to the city
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