This simple and traditional dish from Costa Rican cuisine, which essentially consists of a meat and vegetable stew, has its distant origins in a Jewish dish called "adafina"—still common in Sephardic cooking. That version contained kid or lamb meat and was cooked in water inside a clay pot, to which very chopped onions and garlic, aromatic herbs, a touch of saffron, salt, were added, and was simmered over very low heat for about four hours. Jews often accompanied it with chickpeas, noodles, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and even prunes.
In the famous book Don Quixote de la Mancha, by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, there's repeated mention of a meal that could be considered a precursor to what we now call "beef stew": the "potaje" or "breaker" stew. While that name might provoke an unpleasant sensation, the text does not refer to the food's decomposition but to the pot or cauldron of power, as it was a source of great nutrients for people.
It is estimated that upon its arrival in the country, this recipe underwent various modifications in its structure, replacing some original ingredients with others that were easier to find in local markets. In other countries, very similar dishes appear, likely also originating from culinary ideas brought by Spaniards on ships, such as the famous "sancocho" eaten in Venezuela, Cuba, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Among the most common ingredients added to the meat and vegetables in the most well-known Costa Rican versions are cassava, potatoes, chayote, carrots, green or ripe plantains, squash, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, tiquizque, and malanga, along with nampi and various spices that enhance flavor and seasoning.
In the larger and more important markets in the central region of the country, this dish is often considered one of the main options by regular diners. The Central Market in San José, Heredia, and Alajuela are some of the main places in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) where this dish can be found in generous portions at accessible prices. For many decades—and still today—it is an unavoidable meal and one of the favorites among Costa Ricans, who go to sodas and markets looking for "the stew".
Typically, a technique known as "to three turns" is used for presentation—both in restaurants and in family homes—in which vegetables are separated on a large plate, the broth with the meat is served in a bowl, and a smaller plate is placed with the white rice. In the past, it was customary to grill the meat over embers, then eat it accompanied by tortillas, along with the broth and vegetables. Currently, it is often fried with achiote. It remains among the most traditional and popular menus in the country, although although its preparation is simple, it demands a lot of time. Consequently, its consumption has decreased in recent decades with the growth of fast food eateries. Today, it tends to be a weekend meal, given the more extensive time needed to prepare and share it with family.
