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Crema de malanga
Crema de malanga: silky Cuban malanga root soup with garlic
Ask anyone raised in Havana what they were fed when they were ill and the answer is usually crema de malanga: a pale, velvety soup of the starchy root, gently scented with garlic and onion. It is also one of the first foods Cuban babies and grandparents alike are given, because it is soft, mild and filling. The classic mistake is grating raw malanga with bare hands, which can make your skin itch; peel it wearing gloves and rinse it well. Serve it plain or with a few croutons. Chef's tip: blend in the butter at the end rather than frying in it, so the soup tastes clean and creamy rather than heavy.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb malangapeeled with gloves, cut into 3 cm chunks (or taro)
- 1 onionquartered
- 3 garlic clovespeeled
- 1 litre vegetable stocklow-salt
- ½ tsp saltto taste
- ⅞ oz butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ¾ lb malanga well under cold water to remove the slippery starch.
Step 2: Put 1 ¾ lb malanga, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves and 1 litre vegetable stock in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer partly covered for 25 minutes, until the malanga crumbles easily when pressed with a spoon.
25 minStep 4: Season with ½ tsp salt, reheat gently without boiling and serve with a pinch of 1 pinch ground nutmeg.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does crema de malanga take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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