Choco-who?

I can't say it, but I love it. So has everyone else whose tried it. Chochoyones are popular throughout the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Indentations help the dumplings cook evenly. Masa harina is a mexican cornmeal that's available in most grocery stores in the hispanic section. Aniseed has a licorice flavor, which I hate, so I leave that out.

Chochoyones in Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

Soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons aniseed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Dumplings:
1 cup masa harina
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

To prepare soup, heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add aniseed, cumin, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, 3 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 45 minutes. Place half of bean mixture in blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining bean mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan.
To prepare dumplings, lightly spoon masa into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine masa, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water and cilantro. Divide dough into 10 portions, shaping each into a ball (dust hands with masa to prevent sticking). Make a small indention in each dumpling. Bring bean mixture to a boil. Add dumplings. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar.

Yield
5 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 2 chochoyones)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 412(19% from fat); FAT 8.5g (sat 3.5g,mono 3.1g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 20.8g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 164mg; SODIUM 1018mg; FIBER 18.4g; IRON 6.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 65.6g
Lorrie Hulston Corvin ,
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Cooking Light, APRIL 2004