One of the most popular Colombian dishes that you can get, Sancocho, can be made with a variety of ingredients. These include beef, pigeon peas, fish, plantain or pork.
In fact, you can make them from anything you like! As a staple among the people of Colombia, the selection of ingredients that be can be used to make them may be bewildering to some.
Thankfully, we’ve picked some of our favorites so you have a place to start.
Chicken Sancocho
Source: cookforyourlife.org
This fantastic Sancocho dish originally comes from the Colombian region of El Valle. For many Colombians, this will stir up a lot of good memories like those times when we sit down with the family around a big table covered with plates of different dishes.
It is said that when Colombians get together, it makes for a great reason to drink and dance and enjoy a hearty belly full of food.
This dish is also great when cooked outside on an open fire. The delicious smoky flavor smells great. Share this dish with white rice and avocado.
Ingredients
• 3 ears of corn freshly cut into 3 pieces
• 12 cups of water
• ½ cup aliños
• 1 big whole chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 green plantains, peeled and cut crosswise 2-inch inch pieces
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 6 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut in half
• 1 pound frozen yuca cut into big pieces
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
1. Take the chicken bouillon, salt, aliños, corn and plantain and put them in a large pot.
2. Add some water before bringing to the boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat down to medium. You should cook this for about half an hour to 35 minutes.
3. Next, take the pepper, yuca and potatoes and add those in too. Then continue to cook these for another 30 more minutes. The yuca and the potatoes should be tender when poked with a fork. Also, at this point, take time to stir in the cilantro.
4. Make sure to divide the vegetables and the chicken in even portions. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Fish Sancocho
Source: mycolombianrecipes
Another traditional Colombian soup, fish sancocho comes from the coastal region. This is a great dish to make often and will have everyone around the table licking their lips.
Although the coconut milk is quite sweet, the savory element of the fish helps to balance it out. Another thing that is ideal for making this dish is that the stock can be made very easily.
To do so, all you have to do is get hold of 1 pound of fish heads, bones, onion, garlic, and water. Cook these for about 30 minutes before straining to get your broth.
Ingredients
• 2 pounds white fish fillets (mahi-mahi, halibut, swordfish, cod or sea bass), cut into large pieces.
• 5 cups of fish stock
• 3 cups of coconut milk fresh or canned
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground achiote
• 1 green plantain, peeled and cut into pieces
• 1 pound yuca, peeled and quartered, fresh or frozen
• 2 corn ears, cut into pieces
• 1/4 finely chopped cilantro or parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Take the butter and heat it up over a medium heat. Then take your garlic, peppers, onions, scallions, tomatoes, ground achiote, and cumin, and cook these over a low heat until the onions become tender. This should take about 10 minutes.
2. Take the fish broth you made earlier and bring to a boil.
3. You can then add the plantains, yuca, and corn. Simmer these for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables look cooked.
4. Next, you want to add the coconut milk and the fish, which you should cook on a low heat until the fish is cooked. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the chopped-up cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Beef Rib Sancocho
Looking for a rustic treat? Beef rib sancocho is very heartwarming, filling and tasty. The soup is padded out with plenty of spices, vegetables and corn.
The beef ribs provide a particularly rich flavor. There are a number of different variations that can be found in Colombia; however, regardless of what is used, it always makes for a great meal.
In fact, there’s not much that can beat a good beef sancocho on a chilly day. This will bring out some homesick feelings among some Colombians as it will remind them of times around the family dinner table.
Ingredients
• 3 pounds of beef ribs
• 1 cup of aliños sauce (see recipe here)
• 4 ears fresh corn, cut into pieces
• 12 cups of water
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 green plantains, peeled and cut crosswise 2-inch inch pieces
• 6 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut in half
• 1 pound yuca, cut into big pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
1. Put your beef ribs in a large pot and the aliños sauce, some salt and about 12 cups of water.
2. Bring to the boil then reduce down to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Afterward, add the corn and simmer for another 15 minutes.
3. Add the yuca, the plantains, and the potatoes, and cook for another 30 minutes. Add more water if you need to. Then, add some fresh cilantro and serve with avocado plus white rice on the side.
Pigeon Pea Sancocho
Source: spoonacular
Pigeon pea sancocho comes from the Atlantic coast of Colombia. It is a thick, hearty and very rich – very comforting indeed. The mixture of textures and flavors in the soup is truly wonderful.
Like many of the other soups on this list, this broth is also a wonderful remedy for hangovers. And even if you aren’t a big drinker, you can enjoy this soup and many of the others at any time of the day.
The most vital ingredients for this dish are, of course, the pigeon peas and the salted beef. Like some of the other soups on this list, you will find an infinite amount of variations depending on the family that is cooking it.
Usually, Pigeon pea sancocho is served with coconut rice. It also goes very well with hot sauce just to give it an extra to kick, and avocado just to cool it down!
The plantain that goes into this dish can be quite sweet but is balanced by the saltiness of the beef. Like the last soup on this list, Pigeon pea sancocho is perfect for winter days.
Just a word of caution: if you’re going to cook this dish with dried pigeon peas, make sure to soak them in water the night before. You also want to soak the beef the night before as well.
Ingredients
• 1 pound of frozen of fresh pigeon peas
• 12 cups of water or more if necessary
• 1/2 pound salted beef
• 1 pound beef ribs
• 1pound pork meat or pork ribs
• 1 green plantain, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 ripe plantain, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 pound of yuca or cassava, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground achiote
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ají dulce or sweet chilis, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Fill a large part of the pot with oil, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, onions, sweet chilis and cook these over a medium heat, stirring every now and then. Cook these until tender. This should take about four minutes.
- Next, add the beef ribs, the pork, salted beef and water. Simmer these for about three quarters of an hour.
- Add the pigeon peas and cook uncovered for another half an hour. Make sure to stir occasionally.
- Add the ripe plantain, green plantain, cumin, cassava and the achiote. Keep on cooking and stirring for another half an hour. Add the fresh cilantro and serve from the pot with a side of rice.
Delicious Sancocho dishes
So there you have it! A variety of delicious warming and tantalizing dishes brought to you straight from the heart of Colombia. Try some of these out and feel free to experiment and come up with your own interesting combinations. Let us know how you get on!
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