Quimbombó — Cuban Okra and Beef Stew

Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with salt. Heat half the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until very hot. Brown the beef in three batches, turning until browned on all sides. Do not crowd the pot; crowded meat releases liquid instead of browning.

Remove the beef and add the remaining oil to the pot. Cook the finely chopped onion for 5 minutes, then add the diced pepper and cook for 3 minutes more. Add the grated garlic, cumin, and thyme and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute, until its raw smell is gone.

Return the beef to the pot. Add the grated tomato, bay leaves, and hot water. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 60 minutes. The meat should begin to separate into fibers when pressed with a fork, but should not fall apart yet.

Wash and dry the okra one piece at a time. Trim the stem ends without cutting into the cavity, then slice into 2 cm rounds. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the okra and toss; the acid helps break down the mucilage.

Peel the green plantain and grate it coarsely. Season with salt and squeeze into walnut-sized balls in your palm. Add them to the pot, cover, and cook for 12 minutes; the balls should firm up and cook through without falling apart.

Add the okra to the pot and cook uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring as little as possible. Steam trapped in a covered pot releases the okra’s mucilage and makes the sauce stringy. Turn off the heat when the okra loses its shine and darkens in color. Remove the bay leaves, squeeze in the juice of the remaining lime, and serve hot with white rice.