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Quimbombó con Bolitas de Plátano

Name: Quimbombó con Bolitas de Plátano
Prep time: 1 h 54 min
Total time: 2 h 14 min
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: okra — 700 g; lime juice — 60 g; pork ribs — 500 g; ham cooked — 150 g; olive oil — 55 g; onion — 200 g; green bell pepper — 200 g; garlic — 32 g; dry white wine — 120 g; tomatoes — 400 g; cumin — 5 g; dried leaf oregano — 1 g; bay leaf — 1 g; chicken stock — 700 g; green plantains — 450 g; salt — 10 g

Quimbombó con Bolitas de Plátano reads umami 7.7, richness 6.0 and sourness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Cuban main, about 2 hr 14 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.4 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.5 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.1 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.3 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.7 · Richness 6.0 · Sourness 5.1 · Salinity 5.0 · Citrus 4.8 · Allium 3.6 · Sweetness 2.8 · Smoke 2.6 · Fruity 2.6 · Earthy 2.2 · Funk & Ferment 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Bitterness 1.4 · Floral 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.2 · Nutty 1.0

What's in it (16)

okra — 700 g
lime juice — 60 g
pork ribs — 500 g
ham cooked — 150 g
olive oil — 55 g
onion — 200 g
green bell pepper — 200 g
garlic — 32 g
dry white wine — 120 g
tomatoes — 400 g
cumin — 5 g
dried leaf oregano — 1 g
bay leaf — 1 g
chicken stock — 700 g
green plantains — 450 g
salt — 10 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 14 min (1 hr 54 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 73.8 kcal, 5.5 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 8.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

Okra came to Cuba with enslaved West Africans and quimbombó is one of the clearest surviving lines from that kitchen — okra stewed with pork, with little boiled plantain dumplings dropped in at the end. It is a country dish, not a restaurant one.
Put the cut okra in a bowl with the lime juice and enough water to cover and leave 20 minutes. Acid and a short soak cut most of the rope; drain and pat dry before it goes in the pot.
Render the diced ham in the olive oil over medium heat for 6 minutes until the edges brown.
Raise the heat and sear the pork ribs in that fat for about 8 minutes, turning, until they are coloured on all sides.
Add the onion, green pepper and garlic and cook 7 minutes over medium heat until soft.
Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot clean, about 3 minutes, until the sharpness has cooked off.
Add the crushed tomatoes, cumin, oregano, bay leaves and stock. Simmer, partly covered, over low heat for 45 minutes, until the ribs are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Meanwhile boil the green plantains whole in salted water for about 20 minutes until soft.
Mash the boiled plantain with 1 teaspoon of the salt, about 5 minutes, and roll walnut-sized bolitas between wet palms.
Add the drained okra and the bolitas to the pot and simmer 20 minutes more, uncovered. The okra should be tender and still green, not khaki. Correct with the remaining salt and serve with white rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Beef and Lamb Gyro Loaf with Tzatziki — Greek
Lamb and Chickpea Stew with Warm Spices — Mediterranean
Lamb and Chickpea Harissa Stew — Middle Eastern
Ground Beef Tacos with Crunchy Shells — Tex-Mex
Fufú de Plátano — Cuban

Keep reading: what umami, richness, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.