Pacaya rellena (stuffed pacaya)

Instructions

1. Rinse the pacaya flowers in cold water, then blanch them for 3 minutes in salted water and drain them thoroughly.
2. Make the sauce: fry the sliced onion, garlic and pepper, add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes with salt, pepper and paprika.
3. Stuff the pacaya flowers with the cheese, folding each flower closed around the filling.
4. Separate the whites from the yolks, whisk the whites until stiff, then gently fold in the yolks and flour.
5. Dip each stuffed flower in the batter, then fry in oil heated to about 170 °C for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.
6. Arrange the fried flowers on a bed of hot tomato sauce and serve with rice.