Mandocas

Name: Mandocas
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Venezuelan
Ingredients: 2 cups pre-cooked white cornmeal (harina de maíz precocida); 1 very ripe plantain, peeled and mashed; 150g papelón (unrefined cane sugar), dissolved in 1 cup hot water; 1 cup grated salty white cheese; 1/2 tsp ground anise (optional); Vegetable oil, for frying; Butter and extra cheese, to serve

Mandocas/man-DOH-kahs/

Also known as: Mandocas Zulianas, Plantain Cornmeal Rings

About this dish

Sweet-and-salty fried rings of cornmeal, ripe plantain, papelón and salty white cheese, a Zulia breakfast favourite.

📍 Find the best Mandocas near me

AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs

Ingredients

🌽2 cups pre-cooked white cornmeal (harina de maíz precocida)

🍌1 very ripe plantain, peeled and mashed

🍯150g papelón (unrefined cane sugar), dissolved in 1 cup hot water

🧀1 cup grated salty white cheese

🌿1/2 tsp ground anise (optional)

🫗Vegetable oil, for frying

🧈Butter and extra cheese, to serve

Method

Serves 2

Mix the cornmeal with the mashed plantain, grated cheese and anise.

Add the papelón syrup gradually and knead into a soft, smooth dough that doesn't crack.

Roll pieces into ropes about 1.5cm thick and 15cm long, and join the ends to make teardrop-shaped rings.

Fry in hot oil, turning once, until deep golden brown.

Drain and serve hot with butter and grated cheese.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Mandocas come from Maracaibo and the state of Zulia, where they are eaten for breakfast with butter and grated queso de año.

User Reviews

No reviews yet — be the first!

Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.

🌍 Food Vlogs

Eating and cooking it at the source

🌍

No videos yet

What To Eat

The World's Food Guide