Stewed West Indian Gherkin (Komkomber stoba)

Stewed West Indian Gherkin - Komkomber stoba prepared by groep 6a

Ingredients

• 40 West Indian Gherkin
• 1 pound salted pork tail
• 1 pound salted meat
• 2 pounds lion-ribs or spareribs
• 1 large onion
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• (or 1-teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 ripe tomato, skinned, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoon ”soy sauce”
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Direction :

1. Cut pork tale into 2-inch size. 
2. Cut salted meat, into 2-inch cubes. 
3. Soak together, overnight in refrigerator.
4. Next morning, discard water.
5. In large pot put pork tale and salted meat, add fresh water and cook over medium heat, till pork tail is tender. 
6. Scoop out the pork tail, and leave salted meat to finish cooking. Salted meat takes longer to get tender. Scoop out the cooked meatand set aside with the pork tail.
7. Cut off the long “tail” from the “komkomber”. Also scrape off the small brown crown on the other end.
8. Cut each “komkomber” in four or six wedges lengthwise. 
9. Cook the cut “komkomber” for 10-minutes, turn off heat and let cool. This makes it easier to deseed them. To deseed, press each wedge individually to release seeds trough a colander, with openings larger then the seeds, rinse off, till all seeds are released. 
10. In a large pot, heat oil and butter, sauté the onion, nutmeg, garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and soy sauce, for 10 minutes.
11. Cut ribs individually and add to the sautéed ingredients. 
12. Add 2 cups water and simmer over medium heat till ribs are done. 
13. Scoop out ribs, set aside together with tail and meat.
14. To the sauce that’s left in the pot, add the “komkomber”, stir, cover pot and cook over medium heat. Do not add more water.
    The “ komkomber” will produce its own natural vegetables juices.
15. When the “komkomber” is done and tender, but whole, add the meat products, stir and cook for 10 more minutes.

You can serve this with funchi, rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy your meal!