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Baho Recipe
by Chef Smith

Baho

Baho, or vaho, is one of the cornerstones of Nicaraguan cuisine. Beef, plantains and yuca (cassava) are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed over water in a large pot. Baho is food for a Sunday afternoon. Start the recipe on Saturday by marinating the meat. Vaho means "mist" in Spanish and evokes the unique cooking method for this hearty meal.

Rating: 5/5
Avg. 5/5 1 vote
Prep time: Nicaragua Nicaraguan
Cook time: Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs beef brisket, cut into large strips
  • 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 green peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 3 onions, thinly sliced
  • 8 to 10 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 c orange juice
  • 1 c lime juice
  • 4 tbsp salt
  • 4 green plantains, peeled and halved crosswise
  • 4 ripe plantains or bananas, peeled and halved crosswise
  • 2 lbs yuca peeled and cut into large pieces
  • Banana leaves

Directions

  1. In a large non-metal bowl, mix the beef with the tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, orange juice, lime juice and salt. Cover, refrigerate and marinate overnight.
  2. Add about 4 inches of water to a large (5-gallon) pot. (You may have to use two pots if you don't have one big enough to hold the baho in one batch.) Place a rack in the bottom of the pot, or toss in enough wadded up aluminum foil to hold the ingredients out of the water. Place a plate on top of the rack or aluminum foil.
  3. Line the plate and the sides of the pot with banana leaves, letting the leaves hang over the edge of the pot. Make sure the pot is fully lined with leaves, with no openings.
  4. Lay the green and ripe plantains on the bed of banana leaves. Remove the meat from its marinade and layer it over the plantains. Top the beef with a layer of yuca. Finally, pour the meat marinade and vegetables over the yuca.
  5. Take the banana leaves hanging over the edge of the pot and fold them over to completely cover the ingredients in the pot. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
  6. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high flame. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 4 hours. Add a water as necessary to keep it from all evaporating.