Tripe Stew (Cau Cau)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds honeycomb beef tripe, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups water, plus more for boiling tripe
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Method

1. 1

   Place the tripe pieces in a large stock pot, cover with water by 2 inches, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. 2

   Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook the tripe, covered, until tender, about 1 1/2 hours, skimming foam occasionally and adding water as needed to keep it submerged.

   1:30:00 · Simmer tripe
3. 3

   Drain the tripe, discard the bay leaf, and set the tripe aside.

4. 4

   Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart sauce pan over medium heat and add the onion, cooking until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Soften onion
5. 5

   Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Cook garlic
6. 6

   Add the aji amarillo paste, turmeric, and cumin, and stir constantly to toast the spices into the base, about 2 minutes.

   2:00 · Toast spices
7. 7

   Add the cooked tripe to the pot and stir to coat evenly in the spiced base.

8. 8

   Pour in the 4 cups of water, add the salt and black pepper, and bring to a simmer.

9. 9

   Add the potatoes, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened slightly, about 25 minutes.

   25:00 · Simmer with potatoes
10. 10

    Stir in the frozen peas and chopped mint, and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.

    5:00 · Simmer with peas and mint
11. 11

    Taste and adjust salt as needed, then serve hot over white rice.