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1
Heat the butter over medium heat in a large pot, make a refrito or base for the broth by adding the diced onions, garlic, tomatoes, bell pepper, cumin, achiote, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper.
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2
Add the 10 cups of water/broth, the beef bones, the meat chunks, and plantains pieces.
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3
Bring to a boil, reduce temperature and simmer for about 30 minutes.
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4
Add the yuca pieces and continue simmering for another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.
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5
Add the carrots, corn and cabbage, cook for another 15 minutes or until all the ingredients are fully cooked.
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6
Remove from the heat and let cool until safe to handle, then remove the bones from the broth and discard them.
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7
Remove the meat, carrots, corn and yucas from the broth, leave the plantains in the broth until ready to use them - keeping them in the broth will prevent them from drying out and make it easier to mash them.
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8
Remove the meat and chop it into very small pieces.
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9
Cut the cooked carrots into small pieces.
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10
Remove the strings from the yuca and cut them into small bite size pieces.
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11
Chop the cooked cabbage and cut the corn in smaller slices; reserve the corn, yuca and cabbage for later.
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12
To make the meat filling for the green banana balls or dumplings make a refrito or base by heating the butter or oil over medium heat, add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, cumin, achiote and salt.
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13
Add the chopped meat, carrots, peas and cilantro.
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14
Mix in the peanut butter and 4 tbs of the broth, as well as the raisins and hard boiled eggs if using, mix all the ingredients well and save the filling until needed.
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15
Meanwhile remove the plantains from the broth and mix them in the food processor until a sticky dough is obtained.
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16
Mix the cooked plantain dough with the grated raw plantains, the eggs and some salt and pepper, you can either mix these by hand or in the food processor.
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17
Using your hands, try to keep them wet, form the plantain dough into medium to large sized balls, stuff each one with a generous spoonful or two of the meat filling.
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18
Strain the broth and return to the heat until it boils, reduce to a simmer and add the dumplings, cook over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, be very careful not to stir the soup to avoid breaking the dumplings.
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19
Using a ladle remove the dumplings from the soup and place them on a plate.
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20
Add the chopped yuca, chopped cabbage, corn slices and any leftover filling back to the broth, cook until all the ingredients are re-warmed.
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21
Add the finely chopped cilantro to the broth.
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22
Place a green plantain dumpling or two in each bowl; add a ladleful of broth with yuca, cabbage and corn.
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23
Serve with lime slices, aji and pickled onions.
