What is a yaniqueque, and where did it come from?
You know what? there seems to be a lot of theories and quite the disagreement. One popular theory is that it came from the British West Indies and it is a corruption of the name Johnny Cakes, a dish with which it shares very little in common.
Other equally argued-for theories exist. But I am not a food historian and I am comfortable accepting that the answers to these questions are not quite vital.
There are also several variations of the same dish throughout the island, to further complicate things. This is the yaniqueque as I know it.
These delicious, crunchy, flaky, deep-fried fast food wonders are a must-have on a visit to Boca Chica, the popular Dominican beach.
Aunt Clara
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup of water
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (soy, corn or canola) for the dough
- 2 cups of vegetable oil (soy, corn or canola) (for frying)
- 1 cup of flour for working the dough and sprinkling on the counter.
- 1/2 teaspoon of coarse sea salt for sprinkling.
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Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Pour in water and the oil for the dough and mix in. Work the dough on a lightly floured surface until everything is well mixed, don't knead the dough (add some flour if it is too sticky or water if it is too dry).
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Let dough rest for 10 min covered in plastic film.
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Extend with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until it is very thin, nearly translucent. The thinner it is, the crispier it will be. If the dough is sticking, dust with flour as it becomes necessary.
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Cut into the dough circles two 1-inch [2.5 cm] slits with a knife. If the circles are a bit misshapen when you lift them, don't worry, that's how they look when you buy from street vendors.
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Heat oil over medium-high heat (350 ÂşF [175 ÂşF]). Fry the circles of dough, turning them halfway until they turn golden brown on both sides, rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
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Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and serve.
Yaniqueques come in all sizes, from the LPs (those were some big disks which were popular before cassettes and CDs, for you whippersnappers) to little ones served with chocolate de agua for breakfast. Make yours in whichever size you like. I prefer mine about 4" [2.5 cm] in diameter as they are easier to handle.
Empanaditas / Pastelitos (Savory Turnovers)
I tried making this today twice. I followed directions to the t snd it didn’t come out right. The dough was very dry. The amount of oil and water in the instructions doesn’t seem to be enough for the flour to mix properly. What can I add additionally to mix the dough properly?
The recipe explains that you might have to add small amounts of water or flour depending on the consistency of the dough. It is impossible to give an exact amount because there are too many variations to account for. Good luck!
Dear Aunt Clara,
I would like to sincerely thank you for making all of these wonderful traditional recipes available and for representing our culture(sense of humor & hospitality) so graciously. As a Dominican and a chef, I am grateful. Keep up the great work. It would be my pleasure to meet in person someday over yaniquques and hot chocolate.
Warmly,
A Fan
Dear Clara, you say it has very little in common with Johnny Cakes, but the recipe is exactly the same as the JC in Curaçao. And they are lnown as holjaldres in Panamá.
Very tasty whatever you call them though 🙂
Hi Veerle,
I have found several variations of Johnny Cakes throughout the Caribbean. The Curaçao was not one of them, funny that it is the closest to ours. 🙂
Wow this came in handy! I was looking for the recipe because I wanted to infuse this is a wagyu and avocado tasting and when I went to the Dominican Republic a few years ago I seen a lady rolling and adding flour in the street! She had a small fryer and was it selling!
I love it with Mozerella Cheese and Parsley with a tiny bit of Truffle Oil!
Yum so good
Aunt Clara, This is my first time on your blog and I am in love! I was searching for Johnny Cletas because I had no idea how it was really spelled. This was what my hubby’s grandmother would make so we can eat with habichuelas. It is SO good. However his grandma recently passed and the recipe left with her. How amazing is that when I search for Johnny Cletas (really didn’t think anything would pop up) came up with this post (the only recipe post) on Google. I’m making them today. Now I can proudly hand down this recipe… Read more »
I am glad to hear our blog was useful for you. 🙂