Haitian Tchaka Recipe

Tchaka is a stew made with dried corn (hominy), beans, pork (or other meats), and a variety of spices, popular in Haiti. The broth of is usually seasoned with with garlic, citrus, chili pepper and herbs (thyme, parsley and laurel).

The meat in this stew is traditionally pork; often pig’s trotters, pieces of bacon and other cuts of pork such as the shoulder are used. Although, other regional variations may use beef, mutton or seafood depending on the ingredients available.

Origin & Cultural Significance

The exact origin of the Tchaka recipe is difficult to trace, although its recipe is thought to have been influenced by African, American, French and Spanish cuisines.

In Haiti, Tchaka is often prepared for special occasions, including religious ceremonies and communal gatherings such as All Saints’ Day. It is also prepared at the end of the summer to celebrate the harvest season.

Tchaka is also used as a sacred offering to the loa in Haitian Vodou rituals.

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Haitian Tchaka Recipe

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 20 minutes

Haitian Tchaka is a stew made with dried corn (hominy), beans, pork (or other meats), and a variety of spices.

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Ingredients

• Corn (dried hominy) - 2 cups
• Kidney beans (dried) - 1 cup
• Pork (smoked or salted, cut into pieces) - 1 lb
• Onion - 1
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Scotch bonnet pepper - 1
• Thyme - 2 sprigs
• Cloves - 3
• Bouillon cube - 1
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Water - 8 cups

Instructions

1. Rinse the dried hominy corn and dried kidney beans, and soak them in water overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the hominy and beans, then place them in a large pot with fresh water.
3. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the hominy and beans are tender, for 1.5 to 2 hours.
4. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
5. In a separate pan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté the diced onion and minced garlic until fragrant.
6. Add the smoked/salted pork to the pan and brown it for a few minutes.
7. Transfer the browned pork, onion, and garlic mixture to the pot with the hominy and beans.
8. Add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme sprigs, cloves, bouillon cube, salt, and black pepper. Stir well until fully incorporated.
9. Reduce the heat to low and leave the stew to simmer for an additional hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
10. Adjust seasoning to taste and remove the Scotch bonnet pepper before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 340Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 530mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 25g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.