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1
Clean the tripe and soak it in lemon
20 Mins + 30 Mins soak
Cool water, about 20°C (68°F)
Rinse the tripe under cold running water, trim away any hard fat, and cut it into bite-size squares. Put it in a large bowl, cover with cold water, add the lemon juice, and leave it to soak for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse again.
If the tripe still smells strong after the soak, rinse it once more in fresh lemon water — the finished stew should smell nutty, never sharp.
Done when: The tripe is clean, pale and free of any strong smell.
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2
Simmer the tripe until tender
120 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 93°C (200°F)
Put the tripe in a large pot with 2 litres of fresh water, the 3 crushed garlic cloves and a few cilantro stems. Bring to a gentle boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 2 hours until the tripe is completely tender. Lift the tripe out and keep 500 ml of the cooking liquid; discard the rest.
Keep the pot at a lazy simmer, not a rolling boil — hard boiling tightens tripe and makes it rubbery.
Done when: A piece of tripe yields easily when pressed between finger and thumb, with no chewiness left.
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3
Cook the refrito
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Warm the oil in a wide pot, stir in the achiote powder, and cook the white onion, green pepper, minced garlic and tomato for about 8 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the cumin and oregano and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Let the onion truly soften before the tomato goes in — a pale, rushed refrito makes a thin, sharp sauce.
Done when: The refrito is soft, glossy and deep golden-orange.
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4
Blend the peanut sauce
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Spoon half the refrito into a blender with the peanut butter, the milk and 250 ml of the reserved cooking liquid, and blend until completely smooth. Pour it back into the pot with the rest of the refrito and stir well.
Blend longer than you think — 2 full minutes — so the sauce turns silky instead of grainy.
Done when: The sauce is smooth, thick and pale golden, with no peanut flecks.
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5
Simmer the stew with the potatoes
30 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 93°C (200°F)
Add the simmered tripe, the diced potatoes and the remaining 250 ml of cooking liquid to the pot. Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Taste and add the salt.
If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved liquid, not plain water, so the peanut flavour stays strong.
Done when: The potatoes are soft, the tripe is meltingly tender, and the sauce clings to a spoon.
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6
Cook the rice, boil the eggs and plate up
20 Mins
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
While the stew simmers, cook the rinsed rice in salted water until fluffy, and boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then cool, peel and halve them. Toss the lettuce, salad tomato, red onion and avocado into a small salad. Spoon the rice onto each plate, ladle the stew into a bowl beside it, add the salad, and lay a halved boiled egg on top of the stew.
Fluff the rice with a fork, not a spoon, so the grains stay separate beside the rich stew.
Done when: The plate is hot, the rice is fluffy, the egg is set, and the stew is thick and glossy.
Ecuador
30m
