CALDO DE MONDONGO 🇪🇨Tradición Ecuatoriana🇪🇨

tripe

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: pork belly

Chicken breast is leaner and more affordable.

beef

🥗Healthier: lean turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Ground beef is often less expensive than cuts of beef.

potatoes

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: yams

Yams can be less expensive and add a different flavor.

corn

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: rice

Rice is a more common staple and cheaper than corn.

Start by cleaning the mondongo (tripe) to remove the strong odor using wheat flour and lime.

Remove any fat and dark parts from the mondongo.

Wash the mondongo with flour and lime, rinsing with plenty of water until the water runs clear and the strong odor is gone.

In a pot, add water, a piece of onion, a piece of bell pepper, and some crushed garlic to create a flavor base.

Wrap cilantro stems, mint stems, and parsley stems in a piece of onion and add to the pot.

Season the water with salt, black pepper, and cumin, then add the mondongo to cook.

If you have a pressure cooker, use it for this step.

Meanwhile, boil water with a bit of salt to cook the plantains until soft, then mash them into a puree.

Add butter, a bit more salt, and milk to the mashed plantains to create a smooth puree.

Once the mondongo is tender, remove it from the pot along with the vegetables and check the broth for clarity.

Add yuca to the pot and cook for 10 minutes until soft before adding the other ingredients.

Chop the mondongo into strips and return it to the pot to continue cooking with the yuca.

Once the yuca is soft, add corn, carrots, and cabbage, cooking for no more than 15 minutes.

Prepare a pickled onion by slicing it thinly and seasoning with salt and lime, letting it rest until serving.

Check the salt level in the broth and add a mix of mint and cilantro before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: