Traditional Nicaraguan Dishes
Indio Viejo Nicaragþnse: traditional Nicaraguan recipe
Nicaraguan stew of shredded beef, corn dough, annatto, vegetables, and mint, with a creamy texture and the balanced touch of sour orange.
Indio Viejo is a traditional Nicaraguan dish, comforting and substantial. This version combines tender and shredded meat with a thick corn, annatto, and vegetable sauce.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓500 g of beef brisket or breast
- ✓1.5 liters of water
- ✓1 large white onion, divided into two parts
- ✓4 cloves of garlic, divided into two parts
- ✓2 ripe tomatoes
- ✓1 small green pepper
- ✓3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ✓1 teaspoon of ground annatto
- ✓2 teaspoons of salt, divided
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- ✓1 cup of nixtamalized corn dough
- ✓3/4 cup of water, only if using pre-cooked corn flour
- ✓Juice of 2 sour oranges
- ✓1 tablespoon of white vinegar, as a substitute for sour orange
- ✓6 leaves of fresh mint
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Cook the meat
Place the beef brisket or breast in a pot with the water, half an onion, two cloves of garlic, and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the foam, reduce the heat, partially cover, and cook for an hour and a quarter, or until the meat is very tender. Alternatively, use a pressure cooker for about thirty-five minutes after reaching pressure, following its instructions.
- 02
Reserve the broth
Remove the meat and let it rest for a few minutes. Strain the broth and reserve approximately four cups. Shred the meat with two forks, removing large pieces of fat and keeping some of the natural fat.
- 03
Prepare the sofrito
Finely chop the other half of the onion, the other two cloves of garlic, the tomatoes, and the pepper. Heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion and pepper, and sauté for four or five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
- 04
Thicken the sauce
Add the tomatoes, annatto, half a teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Cook for six to eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato dissolves and a thick sauce forms. If using annatto paste, dissolve it well in the sofrito.
- 05
Mix the dough
Place the dough in a container and gradually add half a cup of the reserved broth. Mix until you get a smooth and lump-free preparation. Add the juice of the sour oranges. If you can't find them, use white vinegar and adjust with a little more broth.
- 06
Integrate the broth
Pour the dough mixture over the sofrito while stirring constantly. Add two and a half more cups of the reserved broth and continue mixing to avoid lumps.
- 07
Cook the stew
Add the shredded meat and mix to cover it with the sauce. Cook over medium-low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring frequently. If it becomes too thick, add more broth; if it's too liquid, cook for a few more minutes without a lid.
- 08
Adjust the seasoning
Check the texture: it should be thick and creamy, but humid, not dry or compact. Taste and adjust the salt only at the end.
- 09
Add the mint
Turn off the heat, add the six chopped or torn mint leaves, and mix gently. Let the stew rest for five minutes.
- 10
Serve hot
Serve in deep plates. You can accompany the Indio Viejo with corn tortillas or a fresh salad.
- Keep the cooking broth to adjust the texture and reinforce the flavor.
- Add the dough gradually while stirring to avoid lumps.
- Cook over low heat and stir frequently so the dough doesn't stick.
- The stew should be thick and creamy, but not dry.
- If it thickens too much when reheating, add a splash of water or broth and heat over low heat.
- The flavor may improve after a few minutes of rest or the next day.