Yesterday, in honor of my mom and brother being in town, we convinced Idalia to teach us how to make this mysteriously delicious mush. We're still not sure where the strange name comes from, but Idalia told us that Indio Viejo is a uniquely Nicaraguan dish that people have been making since before the Spanish set foot in Nicaragua. I think it's also a dish that is fairly easy to make with ingredients you can find in the US, so give it a try!
2 lbs of chicken
1 lb of beef
1/2 lb of pork
broth from the meat
1 onion, diced
2 small green peppers, diced
4 sprigs of mint
4 sprigs of parsley
A small handful of cilantro
1 teaspoon of fresh oregano
3 cloves of garlic, diced
2 - 2.5 cups of masa, or corn flour. Usually you can find Maseca in Hispanic grocery stores in the US.
1 tablespoon of achiote, or more depending on desired color and flavor. If you can't find achiote, you can use a little bit of chili powder.
1 orange, juice only
*extra chopped mint and cilantro for garnish*
Boil the meat in enough water to submerge all of it for an hour to an hour and a half, or until it's soft enough to shred. Save the broth and shred all of the meat together in a bowl.
In a blender, blend the onion, green pepper, mint, parsley, cilantro, oregano, and garlic with enough broth to cover all of the vegetables and herbs, to make a thick liquid.
In a large sauce pan, melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter or margarine and add the shredded meat. Heat until sizzling, and then add the blended herb mixture. Cook until heated through.
Combine 3 cups of broth with the masa in a medium bowl. Dissolve the masa completely and add achiote and orange juice. Once it is nicely combine add to the meat mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 mins, until mixture gets thick.
Serve with rice, fried plantains, a dollop of beans, and a fresh corn tortilla.
Enjoy!
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