The essence of the Amazon in a slow-cooked dish. Majaz, one of the region's most distinctive game meats, softens with cassava in a dense, aromatic broth built with sweet chili and jungle cilantro. A rustic, powerful, deeply comforting stew that celebrates the biodiversity of the Peruvian jungle.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Cut the majaz leg into medium pieces, dry the surface well, and season with part of the salt, the pepper, and the cumin. Peel the cassava, remove the tough center fiber, and cut it into large pieces.
Chop the red onion, crush the garlic, cut the sweet chili into thin strips, chop the tomato, and reserve the jungle cilantro to use in two moments.
Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the majaz for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the pieces until the edges are golden. That browned base is what later makes the broth flavorful.
Remove the meat and, in the same pot, cook the red onion for 6 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, sweet chili, tomato, and half the jungle cilantro; cook for 5 minutes, until the sofrito smells fresh but no longer raw.
Return the majaz to the pot, add the water and the remaining salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for 70 to 80 minutes, until the meat is tender and the broth takes on a deep color.
Add the cassava and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until soft and starting to release starch into the broth. If some edges break down a little, you are on track: that thickens the stew.
Turn off the heat, stir in the remaining jungle cilantro, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve very hot, with dense broth, soft cassava, and the meat well coated in sauce.
