Creamy pigeon pea and coconut stew with sweet pepper fish meatballs

Instructions

1. 1

   1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a small baking tray or lightly grease it with a little annatto oil or vegetable oil.

2. 2

   2. For the meatballs, cut the white fish fillet into pieces and finely chop it with a knife, or pulse it briefly in a food processor until it reaches a coarse ground texture. Place it in a bowl with half of the sweet pepper, 1/3 of the white onion, half of the garlic, half of the cilantro, the pre-cooked cornmeal, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and a little lime zest.

3. 3

   3. Mix the fish mixture well until uniform. Wet your hands and shape 12 to 14 medium meatballs. Place them on the tray, brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 400°F / 200°C, until firm and lightly golden.

4. 4

   4. While the meatballs bake, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Sauté the rest of the white onion for 3 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, the rest of the sweet pepper, and the scallion, and cook 4 more minutes until the sofrito is fragrant and soft.

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   5. Add the squash, cooked pigeon peas, and corn kernels. Stir in the remaining cumin, the rest of the black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the grated panela. Mix for 2 minutes so the vegetables absorb the sofrito flavors.

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   6. Pour in the coconut milk and the hot fish or vegetable stock. When it comes to a gentle boil, lower the heat and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is very tender.

7. 7

   7. Take about 1 cup of the stew with some squash and pigeon peas, blend or mash it until thick and creamy, then return it to the pot to give the stew more body. Cook 3 minutes more.

8. 8

   8. Carefully add the baked fish meatballs to the stew and cook everything together for 5 minutes over low heat so they absorb flavor without falling apart.

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   9. Adjust with the remaining salt and add the rest of the lime juice to taste. Turn off the heat and finish with the remaining chopped fresh cilantro.

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    10. Serve the stew piping hot in deep bowls and top each portion with pieces of cassava flatbread for a crunchy contrast.