Nicaraguan Baho: Authentic Recipe with Beef, Cassava, and Plantain from Nicaragua

02

Step-by-step method

1. 01
   

   Cut the meat

   Cut the brisket or flank into large pieces, about five centimeters, so they maintain their structure during prolonged cooking.

2. 02
   

   Marinate the meat

   Place the meat in a large container. Add sour orange juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Peel and mash four cloves of garlic, incorporate them, and mix until all pieces are covered.

3. 03
   

   Refrigerate the marinade

   Cover the container and refrigerate the meat for at least four hours; you can also leave it overnight.

4. 04
   

   Prepare the cassava

   Peel the cassava and cut it into large pieces. Remove the hard fiber from the center with a knife if it appears.

5. 05
   

   Prepare the plantains

   Wash the green plantains and cut them into two or three parts without peeling. Make a longitudinal cut in the skin of the ripe ones, but leave them whole.

6. 06
   

   Chop aromatics

   Cut one onion into thick slices and the tomatoes into slices. Reserve the other onion for the salad and peel the remaining two cloves of garlic.

7. 07
   

   Soften the leaves

   If using plantain leaves, clean them and briefly pass them over the fire to soften them.

8. 08
   

   Line the pot

   Cover the interior of a large pot with plantain leaves. If you don't have them, use a heavy pot with a hermetic lid.

9. 09
   

   Form the base

   Heat the oil in the pot. Place the two remaining cloves of garlic, half of the onion, and half of the tomatoes at the bottom, without browning them.

10. 10
    

    Arrange the meat

    Place the meat on top along with all the marinade, trying to distribute it in a single layer. Add the rest of the onion and tomatoes.

11. 11
    

    Add water and vegetables

    Pour the water around the edges of the pot, without completely covering the ingredients. Place the cassava around the meat and arrange the green and ripe plantains on top with their skin.

12. 12
    

    Close the pot

    If using leaves, cover the entire preparation with them and place the lid. In a conventional pot, cover it very well; you can seal the edge with aluminum foil if it remains stable and away from the flame.

13. 13
    

    Cook slowly

    Bring the pot to medium heat until it heats up strongly. Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for two and a half to three hours.

14. 14
    

    Check the cooking

    Avoid opening the pot repeatedly. Check after two and a half hours: the meat should separate easily with a fork, the cassava should be tender, and the plantains soft without falling apart.

15. 15
    

    Chop the salad

    Cut the cabbage into very thin strips and the other onion into thin strips. Place them in a container.

16. 16
    

    Season and rest

    Add the salad salt and mix with clean hands for a minute to slightly soften the vegetables. Let them rest while the cooking finishes.

17. 17
    

    Rest and peel

    Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for fifteen minutes. Remove the plantains carefully, peel them when they are warm, and cut them into thick pieces.

18. 18
    

    Serve the baho

    Serve the meat with cassava, green plantain, and ripe plantain. Add some of the pot's juices and accompany with the cabbage and onion salad.

19. 19
    

    Adjust the juices

    Serve the baho very hot. If the juices are too liquid, remove the meat and vegetables, boil them for a few minutes without a lid, and serve them on top again, without adding thickeners.