Chilean San Juan cirigües are a fried sweet dough, a delightful recipe from the countryside originating in the Bio-Bio region in the south of the country, where the recipe is passed down from generation to generation.
Contents
How to make San Juan Cirigües?
The recipe for cirigües is very similar to picarones, but without chancaca, traditionally consumed during winter and especially during the celebration of San Juan.
Nutritional facts
Each serving of fried cirigües contains approximately 500 kcal, 70 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of fats, 6 g of proteins, 3 g of fiber, 25 g of sugars, 70 mg of cholesterol, and 250 mg of sodium.
Chilean Fried Cirigües recipe
Category: Appetizers
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 kg of flour
- 1 kg of yellow pumpkin
- 250 g of sugar
- 2 eggs
- Baking powder
- 1 tablespoon of lard
- ½ tablespoon of baking soda
- Oil or lard for frying
Preparation
- In a medium pot, add the pumpkin with the skin, without seeds, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat with the pot covered, uncover the pot and continue cooking over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until well cooked. Let it cool, remove the skin, and reserve some of the cooking water.
- In a medium bowl, add the cooked pumpkin and mash with a fork, sift the flour and incorporate the eggs, room temperature butter, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and baking soda. Mix everything with your hands or a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms, adjusting the consistency with the pumpkin cooking water if necessary.
- Roll out the dough on a clean surface until it reaches a thickness of about 1 centimeter, cut into rectangles, and set aside.
- In a deep fryer or deep skillet, add enough oil or lard and heat over high heat until it reaches about 180°C (356°F). Fry the cirigües without overlapping, on both sides until lightly golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Serve the cirigües immediately, warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or cold as a dessert or snack.
Additional Tips
It is recommended to measure the correct temperature of the oil before adding the cirigues to avoid excessive absorption of fat and then let them rest on paper towels.
Cirigües are best served immediately after preparation, accompanied by a warm or hot beverage such as tea, coffee, or mate without sugar.
Did you know?
Traditionally, cirigües served for San Juan were accompanied by gloriao, although nowadays they are commonly enjoyed with coffee, tea, or mate, without aguardiente.
