Delicious and filling: malanga and calabaza stew
I have a friend who won't eat stew outside of the Winter months. In an exceptionally cool Fall, she might be convinced. On this, we'll never agree. I will eat stew any time.
She insists that stew ingredients are, by definition, winter vegetables. That may be true in New England, where she lives, but here in the subtropics, tasty roots and gourds like malanga and calabaza are available year round.
Malanga is a root more commonly known as taro. Malanga is grown in South and Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia, New Zeland and in my own stomping grounds of Florida. Here, however, they are considered an invasive species. You might know the plant as Elephant Plant or Elephant Ear Plant.
The earthy-tasting root is high in iron and vitamin C. At 132 calories a cup, it's pretty caloric, but it has 9 grams of fiber so it helps fill you up pretty quickly and you don't eat as much.
The calabaza squash, also known as the West Indian pumpkin, tastes most like a butternut squash. It's just a less expensive version.
This squash is grown all over the Caribbean and in parts of Central and South America. It's pretty commonly available in Caribbean and Hispanic markets. If you can't find it, you can substitute butternut or acorn squash in this recipe.
Malanga and Calabaza Stew
Makes 8 entree-size servings
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large bell pepper, diced
- 4 large garlic clove, smashed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 24-ounce can of whole canned tomatoes in their juice
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
- 1/2 cup of white cooking wine (or whatever white wine you have in that glass)
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound of malanga, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 pound of calabaza, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups of cooked rice for serving
- Put the oil in a heavy saucepan and add the onions, the pepper and the garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
- Add the tomatoes, the wine, the paprika, and the bay leaf. Roughly crush the tomatoes and cook it all for about 5 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and bring to a simmer.
- Add the malanga and the calabaza and cook for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Serve over rice. *If you are cooking for carnivores, you can use a piece of salt pork in place of the oil. Just put a small piece in the pan and brown it.
