Place the turkey meat in a large pot. Add salt and water to cover the meat. Cook for about 45-60 minutes until the meat is tender. Remove the meat and set it aside, reserving the broth.
Kak'ik (Traditional Turkey Stew)
- Total time - 1 hour 30 minutes
- Preparation - 20 minutes
- Cooking time - 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Country: Guatemala
The key to an authentic Kak'ik is the thorough toasting of the chilies and vegetables, which gives the sauce its depth of flavor. Use dried chilies like guaque and pasilla for the correct color and taste. The turkey is cooked for a long time to make it perfectly tender and to absorb all the flavors. If you don't have fresh herbs, you can also use dried ones, but fresh is recommended for the best result.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Kak'ik
- 1.5 kg turkey thighs or bone-in breasts
- 4 pieces dried guaque or pasilla chilies
- 3 pieces tomatoes
- 5 pieces tomatillos
- 1 piece onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon achiote paste
- 1 bunch coriander sprigs
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- salt
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing the Meat and Vegetables
Step 2: Toasting the Ingredients
In a dry skillet, toast the chilies, tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic until they are charred in some places and fragrant. Let them cool. Then, soak the chilies in warm water to soften them.
Step 3: Preparing the Sauce
In a blender, blend the toasted vegetables, soaked chilies, achiote paste, and coriander. Add a little of the turkey broth and blend until you get a smooth, thick sauce. Pour the sauce through a sieve into a pot to make it as smooth as possible.
Step 4: Finishing the Stew
Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes until it thickens. Add the turkey meat and cook for another 5-10 minutes to let the flavors combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Serving
Serve hot in bowls, with rice and tamales on the side.