To make the curtido, mix the cabbage, carrot, onion, chillies and oregano, then place in a sealable container or jar. Pour in the vinegar to cover (or, if you prefer, use half vinegar and half hot water). Season to taste, seal and set aside.
Note: The longer it cures, the better — you can keep a large jar of curtido in the fridge for a few days.
To make the salsa, place the tomatoes, onion and capsicum in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Set aside to cool for a while. Drain the ingredients and keep the water.
Place in a blender, adding the oil. Blend, gradually adding the reserved water, until it reaches the consistency you prefer. (Less water results in a chunkier sauce.) Place the mixture in a pan, add the chilli and season to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring. Set aside in a container or jar.
Note: The salsa also keeps for a few days.
To make the pupusas, cook the beans in 4 cups water, using 1 garlic clove and salt to taste, for 40 minutes or until the beans soften. Drain and set aside to cool.
Place the beans in a food processor and blend until the skins are well blended in the mix.
Place 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry one-third of the chopped onion and 1 chopped garlic clove until soft. Add the bean mixture, season to taste, and stir until the beans form a thick paste. Set aside.
To make the chicharron (pork mixture), deep-fry the pork with 1 garlic clove garlic and the bay leaf until golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
Place the pork, tomato, half of the capsicum and half of the remaining onion in a food processor, and blend until a rough paste forms. Season and set aside.
To make the cheese mixture, place the mozzarella, fetta, remaining onion and capsicum in a food processor and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Set aside.
Mix the flour with 1½ cups of water to make a soft dough. Make a ball of dough with about 4 tablespoons flour and then flatten very thinly.
Add 1 tablespoon each of the pork and cheese mixture, press edges together to seal the papusa, and flatten to about ½cm thick and roughly the size of a CD, making sure the edges don’t crack. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Cook over a high temperature on a hotplate or flat non-stick pan for about 1 minute each side, or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese starts to melt.
Serve with the curtido and salsa.
Note: If you don’t want to make beans and sauce from scratch, use canned refried beans and tinned crushed tomatoes. If you’re vegetarian, you can add zucchini or spinach to the cheese mixture.
