MAUI- How To Cook Tripe Stew

Tripe a part of a cow's stomach is a delicacy to some locals here on Maui, one may think it gross, because most people associate the stomach with bowel, and that's understandable, however, tripe has been a staple for many working class families that worked the sugar cane fields and pineapple fields. Mostly a staple food of the Filipinos and some Hawaiians, the meat is cleaned considerably for safe human consumption. 
In the picture you can see what the tripe looks like, the product is very chewy, hence stewing this part of the cow is the most common of cooking methods. Growing up, we ate tripe like twice a month, being a kid, I didn't question what my parents cooked, we just ate whatever they made for dinners, and the tripe made in a stew of lots of tomatoes, bay leaf, and garlic, well I couldn't tell that this tripe thing was gross at all, I mean it looked white, like honeycombs, so what the heck did I know? 


If you want to cook tripe, and you feel adventurous, go to your local market and ask the butcher for cleaned tripe, most supermarket chains do sell them in the frozen section, or you can buy tripe in Asian marts, or Spanish marts, tripe is common and considered a delicacy to some. I know a French couple that cooked tripe so they said, with herbs and spices and in wine, I can imagine that it tastes great, with wine it becomes gourmet. But when we ate tripe it was stewed for a few hours on the stove, and like I said, there was nothing wrong with tripe growing up, most of my friends ate tripe.


Here's a simple recipe


TRIPE STEW RONALDO
3 lbs. of Tripe (cleaned, cut into 2 inch squares) set aside
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves crushed
3 inches of fresh ginger peeled and cut into thin slices


6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 bay leaf


6 cups of water
5 cups of tomato sauce
8 oz. of tomato paste


2 large Russet potatoes, cut into cubes 1 1/2 inches
2 large round onion sliced
1 large carrot, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Salt and pepper to taste


1. Heat up a stainless steel pot over medium heat with oil, sauté the garlic and ginger for a few seconds to build aroma. 
2. Add in the tripe, and sauté for about 5 minutes.
3. Add in the tomatoes, bell peppers, bay leaf, and cook until bells are soften.
4. Add the water, and bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, add a little water if it evaporates.
5. Add in the tomato sauce and tomato paste, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
6. Add in the potatoes, onions, and carrot, and simmer until potatoes and carrots are soft.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.


It should soften after 1 1/2 hours on the stove, cleaned tripe doesn't have much of an oder at all, but there are people believe it or not that go for the tripe with all the green waste matter clinging to it, now that is fucking gross!


Happy Eating!