Cuban
Vegan
Gluten freeQuimbombó con bolitas de plátano
Okra stew with plantain dumplings
Quimbombó: Cuban okra stew with green-plantain dumplings (meat-free)
Quimbombó is one of the African-rooted dishes of central Cuba: okra stewed in a tomato sofrito and dotted with little dumplings of mashed green plantain, served over white rice. Country cooks often add pork or chicken; this version is meat-free, with a little smoked paprika for depth. The mistake most people make is stirring okra hard as it cooks, which turns it slimy, so stir gently and add a squeeze of lime early to keep it in check. Chef's tip: roll the plantain balls with wet hands and drop them in only for the last 10 minutes, so they hold together and stay tender.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 330 kcal
Ingredients
For the stew
- 1 ⅛ lb okratrimmed, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 1 limejuiced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 green pepperchopped
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 tsp saltto taste
For the plantain dumplings
- 2 green plantainspeeled, cut into chunks
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 garlic clovecrushed
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Boil 2 green plantains in salted water for 20 minutes, until a knife goes in easily. Drain and mash until smooth with ½ tsp salt and 1 garlic clove. With wet hands, roll into 16 small balls.
25 minStep 3: Meanwhile, warm 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion and 1 green pepper for 7 minutes. Add 4 garlic cloves, ½ tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp smoked paprika for 1 minute.
8 minStep 4: Add 14 oz chopped tomatoes, 1 ¾ cups water, 1 tsp salt and the okra with its juice. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring as little as possible, until the okra is tender and the sauce has thickened.
15 minStep 5: Lower the plantain balls into the stew and simmer for 10 minutes, shaking the pan rather than stirring, until they are heated through and the sauce coats them. Add the rest of ½ lime and serve over rice.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 54 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does quimbombó con bolitas de plátano take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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