Stoba is the everyday stew of the ABC islands — Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao — slow-braised in a tomato-and-pepper base; the goat version, stoba di cabrito, is the most prized. It is Sunday food, Papiamento comfort served with funchi.
Spoon up stoba di cabrito and the goat is tender and dark in a thick, savory tomato-pepper gravy. Bite: the goat is rich and a little gamey, the sofrito sweet and deep, the spices warm with cumin and nutmeg, a gentle scotch-bonnet heat. Comforting and hearty, spooned over funchi cornmeal — the everyday Papiamento home stew.
Browning the goat and building a tomato-pepper sofrito base creates depth; long braising tenderizes the tough goat and reduces the sauce into a clinging gravy. Cumin and nutmeg are the island spice signatures; the potato thickens and stretches the pot.
Variations
With beef (stoba di carni). With oxtail. With papaya (stoba di papaya). Spicier. With dumplings. Drier.
On the Palate
Where Stoba di Cabrito sits in the Aruban flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 5
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓35 min active · 75 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 110 min
Cut 1 kg goat into chunks; season with salt, pepper, and lime.
- 210 min
Brown the goat in oil in a heavy pot.
- 38 min
Make a sofrito: fry chopped onion, garlic, sweet pepper, and tomato until soft.
- 43 min
Return the goat; add a little tomato paste and island spices (cumin, nutmeg).
- 53 min
Add water to half-cover and a whole scotch bonnet.
- 676 min
Cover and braise 75 min until the goat is fork-tender.
- 725 min
Add a cubed potato in the last 25 min; reduce to a thick gravy.
- 83 min
Serve with funchi or rice.
