Beef Tripe with Chickpeas | Slow-Cooked Spiced Tripe

In a wide bowl, rub the tripe with a handful of coarse salt and 2 spoonfuls of flour; the flour catches and pulls away the surface mucus, which water alone will not remove. Use your fingertips to clean between the honeycomb pockets, then rinse under cold running water until the water runs completely clear. If the smell is still strong, repeat the process once.

Put the tripe in a pot with plenty of cold water and apple cider vinegar and bring it to a boil. Boil for 8 more minutes, then discard all the water and rinse the tripe with hot water. This first boil removes most of the odor; skipping it leaves a strong flavor throughout the dish.

Spread the cooled tripe on a cutting board and cut it into strips about 1 cm wide and 5 cm long. Evenly sized strips will all become tender at the same time; thicker pieces may still be tough at the end of cooking.

Drain the chickpeas soaked overnight and put them in a pot with the tripe strips. Add the water, bay leaf, and salt. Once it boils, skim off the foam, lower the heat, and cook with the lid slightly ajar. The step is complete when a fork easily separates the tripe and the chickpeas can be mashed between your fingers. If the water reduces, top it up with hot water.

In a separate pan, melt the butter and sauté the finely chopped onion until the edges begin to brown. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the cumin, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and warm them in the fat for 30 seconds; this is when the spices release their aroma.

Add the tomato paste to the pan and sauté until its raw smell is gone. Add the grated tomato and cook until its liquid has reduced by half. Pour this mixture into the pot and cook uncovered for 20 more minutes. Remove from the heat when the sauce coats the back of a spoon; the gelatin provides the thickness, so do not add flour.