Chef Troy’s 4-Bean Ital Stew
30 minutes | Makes 10 cups
This hearty stew is a lower-fat riff on a classic ital dish. It’s customary to use fresh coconut milk in ital cooking, but canned lite coconut milk works here, too.
Ingredients
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup dried lima beans, soaked overnight
¼ cup dried black beans, soaked overnight
¼ cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
¼ cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 cup coconut milk (fresh or canned lite)
1 medium carrot, scrubbed and diced
3 scallions, chopped
½ tsp. minced fresh turmeric (or 1 pinch dried)
½ tsp. grated ginger (or 1 pinch dried)
1 cup calabaza squash, peeled and diced
1 taro root (about ½ lb.), peeled and chopped
1 medium white sweet potato (boniato variety), chopped
1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper (tip, TK)
1 small onion, diced
5 sprigs thyme
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
½ tsp. ground allspice
Sea salt, to taste (optional)
Instructions
In a medium pot combine the first seven ingredients (through bay leaves). Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes or until beans are cooked tender, adding coconut milk halfway through cooking. Add carrot, scallions, turmeric, and ginger. Cook 5 minutes more. Add squash, taro root, sweet potato, and 2 cups filtered water. Cook 5 minutes more.
Add the remaining ingredients and bring stew to boiling; then reduce heat to medium. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until taro is fork-tender. Remove Scotch bonnet and bay leaves.
Serve immediately, ladled over Herbed Quinoa and Kale or cooked whole grain of your choosing.
