Hello everyone, thank you for deciding to read my blog and before I get to talking about why this food means so much to me, I just wanted to give a little history lesson on how the food was brought to life. It originated from a mix of all different cultures around Nicaragua between the indigenous, mestizos, and Afro-Nicaraguan people from all over the country. This food is made for ending a tough week, so it is prepared on Saturday and finished on Sunday, in my family it can be made to end a family dispute. The reason this recipe means so much to my family is that this recipe was handed down from my great grandma who was alive during the multiple civil wars in Nicaragua and who would always make this recipe to make her kids feel safe from all the danger outside. This would be passed down to my grandma who currently makes it every Sunday and it is so delicious. It always brings a smile to everyone’s face when they can taste such rich flavors from the meat and yucca plant. Hopefully as you see the recipe you will also get interested in trying this dish, I would 100% push for everyone to try it at least once because I know you will love it. Just an FYI it does take 4-5 hours to cook because it has to be held over low heat so that the water evaporates long enough to cook the meat. So this is a very complicated recipe but a very tasty one.
Ingredients:
●2kg of Brisket
●2kg of Yucca
●6 ripe bananas
●3 green bananas
●Banana Leaves
●500ml of bitter orange juice
●5 garlic cloves, halved
●5 large onions
●600 grams of peeled seeded tomatoes
●1 small sliced red pepper
●1 small sliced green pepper
●Salt
●Pepper
Cooking Method:
1.Start by cutting the onions in half
2.Pour the meat with a generous amount of salt in a bowl
3.Add the garlic cloves, onions, and the bitter orange juice after this let it stand for 24hours
4.The next day wash the meat to remove the excess salt
5.Take the onions out of the marinade and slice them into thin pieces
6.Get all the Yucca and bananas and peel them and slice them in half
7.Line a large casserole with the banana leaves, leaving them sticking out so there is enough room to cover the waiting meat, make sure to not leave openings between the leaves: the water we will add later should not enter.
8.After the first layer make three more layers of banana leaves almost like a fortress
9.Now we are going to assemble the Baho
10.First add the Yucca
11. Then add the green and ripe bananas standing up
12. In the center of this add the meat and cover the meat with tomatoes, peppers, and onions. After this step close the leaves around the meat like a mummy
13.Add 700ml of water and bring to a boil for 2 hours over medium heat. This is the part where patience is key
14.After the first 2 hours reduce the heat and continue cooking for 2 hours. During cooking,add more boiling water if the water evaporates too much.
15.During this step we like to make a nice salad with the leftover tomatoes and peppers by mixing it together with lettuce and adding vinegar making very acidic and it goes well with the Baho
16. After the next 2 hours are done the Baho is ready to be served, We make sure everyone’s plate has at least a piece of ripe banana, a piece of green banana, a piece of Yucca and a portion of meat. Also the salad on the side.
Hopefully you aren’t discouraged by the banana leaf part, this is probably one of my favorite foods that my family makes so I hope I can get some people to try my Grandma's dish, thanks for trying it out!
6 comments:
Yum! Thanks for sharing the history behind this dish and why it means so much to you. It's funny how food can bring people together. I like how in your instructions, you worded the lines as if you and the reader were making it together. That makes the preparation of this dish so inclusive! Thank you for sharing Diego.
Thank you for sharing, it seemingly has a lot of sentimental value to your family. Your family's tradition of passing down recipes and having Sunday meals together is really cool! The clear directions made this a possible new meal for everyone ! Thank you again !
This looks so good!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I liked how you included the history of the dish as well as its significance in your family and culture. Your instructions were also very clear and easy to understand. I can't wait to try it myself!
This recipe looks very enjoyable and I can see that behind this meal is tradition. Seeing someone embrace their culture is one of the best things for me to see because it can be a struggle for some people. I will try my best to make this meal and hopefully it tastes somewhat as good as your grandmothers. Thank you for this amazing recipe!!
I really want to try this! It seems challenging enough to were I'll feel proud about finishing it, but easy enough for me to actually cook! On top of that, the cultural background behind it makes my feel like while making it, I am learning about a culture I am not too familiar with. Overall, really great recipe, can't wait to try it!
The recipe you have provided for all of us seems very tasty and interesting. I think it is great that you are preserving your culture through this specific dish. I really enjoy trying new foods and the cultural background these foods have. Great job!
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