Chojín

Ingredients

Radish

• 400 gradishes, finely chopped

Chicharrón

• 200 gcrisp pork chicharrón, chopped

Herbs

• a large bunch of mint, chopped
• a bunch of coriander, chopped, optional

Also

• 1onion, finely chopped
• juice of 3 limes
• or juice of 2 bitter oranges
• salt

Sometimes

• chopped tomato
• a little chopped chilli

To serve

• with grilled meat, with tortillas, at a fiesta

Directions

1. Use ordinary red radishes, which are peppery and crisp. Chop them finely rather than slicing them, since chojín is a chopped salad and the name says so. Aim for pieces of about half a centimetre.
2. Salt the chopped radish lightly and let it stand in a sieve for fifteen minutes, then drain it. That draws out water which would otherwise dilute the salad and soften the chicharrón.
3. Press it gently rather than squeezing it hard, since it should stay crisp. Use genuinely crisp pork crackling or fried pork skin, not soft braised pork. It should shatter when broken rather than bend.
4. Chop it into pieces roughly the size of the radish. Chop it just before serving, since chopped chicharrón absorbs moisture from the air and goes soft.
5. Add the chicharrón at the very last moment, immediately before serving. It softens within minutes of meeting the wet radish and the lime, and soft chicharrón in a salad is unpleasant. Chop it just before mixing, since mint darkens and loses its scent quickly once cut. Chop it finely and rinse it in cold water before adding it.
6. Use it generously, since the acid is what holds the whole thing together. Season with salt and taste carefully. Combine the drained radish, onion, mint and any tomato with the lime and salt.
7. Let that sit for ten minutes so the flavours combine. Fold in the chicharrón at the last moment. Now the texture it should have. Serve it immediately in a bowl, with grilled meat and warm tortillas. It does not keep at all once the chicharrón is in, so only mix what will be eaten.

Technique

• The name comes from a Kaqchikel word meaning chopped.
• The chicharrón goes in at the last moment, since it softens within minutes.
• Drain the chopped radish, which releases a great deal of water.

Substitutions

• Pork scratchings or crackling in place of chicharrón.
• Bitter orange in place of lime, which is arguably better.

Variations

• With chopped tomato through it.
• Made hotter, with chopped chilli.
• Made without chicharrón, as a plain radish salad.

History

The name comes from a Kaqchikel word for chopped; it is served at Guatemalan fiestas and cofradia meals alongside grilled meat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chojín?

Chojín is a salad & side from Guatemala: chopped radish salad with crisp chicharron, mint and lime. The name comes from a Kaqchikel word for chopped; it is served at Guatemalan fiestas and cofradia meals alongside grilled meat.

How long does Chojín take to make?

Chojín takes 25 min of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings as a side. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Chojín?

Yes, within limits. Pork scratchings or crackling in place of chicharrón. Bitter orange in place of lime, which is arguably better.

What is the most important thing to get right in Chojín?

Use ordinary red radishes, which are peppery and crisp. Chop them finely rather than slicing them, since chojín is a chopped salad and the name says so. Aim for pieces of about half a centimetre.