Chimole a delicious stew/soup is of Maya origin and very popular in Belize. It is made with a spice blend called black recado that adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the dish like nothing I have had before. You can find the black recado online or you can make it yourself. The pork meatballs are outstanding and sop up the broth with a homemade tortilla…. Excellent!
Belize Chimole
Servings 4 -6
Ingredients
- 1 chicken divided
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 hard-boiled eggs chopped into small pieces
- 2 raw eggs
- 3 Tablespoons black Ricardo
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 to matoes diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- Optional – ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon thyme
Instructions
- In a small bowl add the Ricardo with enough water so that it will dissolve (add the cumin as well if you are going to use it).
- In a separate bowl mix the ground pork with the hard-boiled eggs and the raw eggs, add salt and pepper to taste and the thyme if you wish.
- Form into small meat balls and cook in oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
- Brown the chicken with the garlic.
- When the chicken is brown put in large pot, add the Ricardo liquid and fill the pot with water until the chicken is covered.
- Add in the diced tomatoes, diced pepper, diced onion and bay leaf - cover the pot and cook over medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
- Add the meat balls and cook another 5 minutes.
- If you like your soup thicker, just add a bit of cornstarch mixed with water at the end.
- Serve with rice or flour tortillas.
