Ital Stew
A gentle Caribbean coconut stew of butternut squash, sweet potato, kidney beans and okra with thyme, allspice, spring onion and a whole scotch bonnet.
makes 23 blocks, about 28p each
- Time
- 1 hr20 min prep · 40 min cook
- Makes
- 23 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 28p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 72 kcal
- Spice
Ingredients
- 400gbutternut squash, 2cm chunks
- 300gsweet potato, 2cm chunks
- 1 tin (240g drained)red kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 × 400ml tincoconut milk
- 150gokra, trimmed, 2cm slices
- 1 (160g)red pepper, diced
- 6 (90g)spring onions, whites and greens sliced separately
- 4 cloves (20g)garlic, crushed
- 15gfresh ginger, grated
- 1 (10g)scotch bonnet, left whole
- 4 sprigs (or 1 tsp dried)thyme
- 3g (1 tsp)ground allspice
- 15mlrapeseed oil
- 15mllime juice
- 1 cubevegetable stock cube
- 300mlwater
Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Nutrition
estimated| 1 block | 3 blocks | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 72 kcal | 216 kcal |
| Protein | 1.7g | 5.1g |
| Carbs | 7.9g | 23.7g |
| Fat | 3.8g | 11.4g |
| Fibre | 1.9g | 5.7g |
| Salt | 0.23g | 0.69g |
Method
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and soften the spring onion whites and pepper for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, allspice and thyme for 1 minute.
- Step 2: Add the squash, sweet potato, coconut milk, stock cube, water and the whole scotch bonnet. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are nearly tender.
- Step 3: Add the beans and okra and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes until the okra is tender and the sauce is thick, crushing a few pieces of squash into it.
- Step 4: Carefully lift out the scotch bonnet, taking care not to burst it, and the thyme stalks. Stir in the spring onion greens and lime juice and season with salt.
- Step 5: Cool and freeze in 70g blocks.
Hotter: prick the scotch bonnet a few times with a knife before it goes in.
Serve it
Rice and peas or plain rice · Boiled green banana or dumplings · With steamed greens or callaloo
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 72 | 1.7g | 7.9g | 3.8g | 1.9g | 0.23g |
| Per 3 blocks | 216 | 5.1g | 23.7g | 11.4g | 5.7g | 0.69g |
Cook’s notes
- Okra is optional. Leave it out, or use 150g green beans cut into 3cm lengths.
- Frozen butternut squash chunks save the peeling and go in at the same point.
Serve it
Rice and peas or plain rice · Boiled green banana or dumplings · With steamed greens or callaloo.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 216 kcal and 5.1g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Ital Stew questions
Why leave the scotch bonnet whole?
Whole and unbroken, it gives the stew its fruity flavour and only a gentle warmth. Once it splits, the heat rises sharply, so lift it out carefully at the end.
Can I use pumpkin instead of butternut squash?
Yes. Caribbean pumpkin or any firm orange squash works in the same weight and time, and breaks down a little more to thicken the stew.
Sauces that go with it
You might also like
Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes gluten-free stock cubes.