A Peruvian home-style stew of beef, white potatoes, carrots, and peas bound together by a deeply cooked base of onion, garlic, ají panca, and ají mirasol. The heat is gentle: the chilies contribute mostly color, aroma, and depth while the potatoes naturally thicken the sauce. Served with white rice and parsley, it is an economical, generous, unmistakably home-style lunch.
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Cut the beef into roughly 3 cm cubes. Peel the white potatoes and cut them into similarly sized large cubes; dice the carrot and finely chop the onion, garlic, and parsley. Keep the potatoes separate so they do not oxidize or enter the stew too early.
Season the beef with some of the salt, half the cumin, and half the black pepper. Heat part of the vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef in 2 batches, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch, until it develops well-seared surfaces. Remove the beef along with its juices. Do not overcrowd the pot; if moisture accumulates, let it evaporate before allowing the meat to brown.
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, and cook the red onion for 6 to 7 minutes, until very soft and beginning to color. Add the garlic, ají panca paste, ají mirasol paste, oregano, remaining cumin, remaining black pepper, and another portion of the salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom, until the base is deep red, glossy, and free of any raw-chili aroma.
Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add the water and bay leaf, scrape up any remaining fond, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a small gap and cook over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, until the beef is almost tender when pierced. The liquid should barely simmer; aggressive boiling tightens the beef and reduces the sauce too quickly.
Remove the bay leaf and add the white potatoes and carrots. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the peas and remaining salt and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, until the potatoes are tender while keeping their shape, the carrots retain texture, and the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. A few potato edges may break down; that starch is part of what naturally binds the stew.
Turn off the heat and fold in the parsley. Serve the stew immediately alongside the cooked white rice, with plenty of sauce surrounding the beef and potato pieces. The right result is tender beef, recognizable vegetables, and a red sauce that is thick yet juicy, with panca and mirasol clearly present without turning the meal into a chili endurance test. Home-style stew, a big spoon, and rice on the side. 🍛
