Steak Memelas

For the Masa

1. Make the Memelas: mix the Masa Harina with salt and ¾ cup water in a large bowl. The dough should come together rather smoothly; if it’s too dry and crumbly, add more water, little by little. Knead the dough for a few minutes to ensure the flour is fully hydrated and form into a ball. If you touch the dough with a clean hand, your hand should remain clean. If not, the dough is likely too wet; add a little more flour and knead again. Once ready, let rest covered for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Once rested, preheat a skillet or cast iron pan on medium heat; it should be fairly hot. Separate your dough into six balls. Using two pieces of wax or parchment paper, place a dough ball in between them. Use a tortilla press to flatten the ball into a round that is about 4-5 inches in diameter and about ¼-inch thick. Alternatively, use a plate or cutting board to flatten the dough. Unpeel the round from the wax/parchment paper and re-use.
3. Cook each round for about 30-45 seconds. Flip and cook another 30-45 seconds. It should not be cooked through, just enough to hold together but still be malleable. Remove to a cutting board or plate, and wait a few seconds until it is cool enough to touch. Use your fingers to pinch the sides in, creating a rimmed edge. Return to pan and cook until the bottom is toasted - about 4-5 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls (or cook multiple at once).
4. Assemble the Memelas: prepare them how you like! For me, I like to spread beans or the quick mole sauce on the bottom, followed by the steak, salsa, and different toppings, such as diced onion, tomatoes, and sliced avocados. Enjoy and have fun!

For the Steak

1. Marinate the Steak: Optional, but highly recommended. Pat the steak dry and rub with the Cacao Mole Coffee Rub and salt on both sides. (Optional: gently pound with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to tenderize and further incorporate the seasoning.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
2. Cook the steak: Take the steak out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat a skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Cook the steak to your desired doneness, ideally medium-rare to medium-well (internal temperature around 140°F), about 3 minutes per side. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice or chop against the grain to your desired size.

For the Quick Mole Sauce

1. Make the Mole sauce: Toast the coffee rub, tomato powder/paste, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper over medium-low heat for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients, stir, bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened to a sauce-like consistency, about 3-5 minutes. Taste, adding salt, as needed. Let cool.

Masa Harina is nixtamalized corn flour used for tortillas, tamales, and more. To make the dough, or masa, the flour is simply rehydrated, kneaded, and rested to ensure all the grains are hydrated well. Unlike wheat flour, it contains no gluten. Also known as Instant Corn Masa Flour, it’s available in many grocery stores (often in international/Hispanic sections) or online, with options like white, yellow, or blue corn offering slight flavor variations.

When forming the memelas, don’t worry about perfection! They are very rustic by nature. You can find them thinner or thicker, or shaped as an oval instead of round in some regions.