Banana Stobá (Stewed Plantains) is a traditional Curaçaoan recipe for a classic stew of salt meat, plantains, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Curaçaoan version of: Stewed Plantains (Banana Stobá).
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Though the dish is called 'stewed plantains' it's actually a stew of salt meat and vegetables with plantains being the main carbohydrate component of the dish.
Ingredients:
500g salt meat (salt pork, pig tail or salt beef typically)
3 yellow plantains
225g sweet potatoes, cubed
225g pumpkin flesh, cubed
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, cut into 3cm long pieces
4 cinnamon sticks
10 whole allspice berries
10 whole cloves
sugar, to taste
Method:
Cut the meat into roughly 5cm cubes, place in a large pan or bowl, cover with water then set aside to soak over night.
The following day, drain the meat, discarding the water. Place the meat in a large pot, cover with water then cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Drain the meat and set aside (reserve 500ml of the stock).
Peel the plantain and slice into 6cm lengths then halve these at a bias (at a diagonal). Cut the sweet potatoes and pumpkin into 6cm chunks.
Place a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil and butter and when foaming use to fry the onion for 4 minutes. Now add the celery, cinnamon sticks, allspice and cloves. Add in the meat, the reserved stock and enough additional water to cover the ingredients.
Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes then add the plantain, sweet potato and pumpkin. Top up the liquid level with boiling water then cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until until vegetables are tender.
If by this time the mixture is too watery, scoop out vegetables and continue cooking to reduce liquid to a heavy sauce.
Return the the vegetables to sauce, stirring gently to combine.
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