Malarrabia is a traditional dish from Piura, Peru, closely associated with the Fridays of Lent and Holy Week in Catacaos. It combines very ripe plantain with an onion, tomato, yellow chile, and annatto seasoning base.
Fresh goat cheese provides the dish’s distinctive salty contrast. Malarrabia is often served as part of a larger Lenten plate with beans, rice, and fish, but it can also be enjoyed as a side dish.
It’s a dish from Piura’s meatless Lenten cooking tradition, prepared when the Catholic Church calls for avoiding meat. Its curious name (“bad temper”) points to the dish’s humble, comforting character, built around the region’s ripe plantains.
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Peruvian Malarrabia
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
A Piura-style mash of ripe plantain, goat cheese, onion, tomato, and yellow chile.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg very ripe plantains (about 6 medium; 3 lb 5 oz)
- 300 g crumbled fresh goat cheese (10.5 oz)
- 180 g chopped red onion (1 large)
- 250 g seeded, chopped tomato (2 medium)
- 15 g minced garlic (1 tablespoon)
- 30 g ají amarillo paste (2 tablespoons)
- 5 g ground annatto (2 teaspoons)
- 60 ml vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the plantains, trim the ends of the plantains without peeling them. Boil for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender.
- Mash the pulp, peel the plantains while still warm and mash them with a fork or potato masher. Cover and set aside.
- Build the seasoning base, heat the oil and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ají amarillo, and annatto, then cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato, add the tomato and cook until it breaks down and the excess liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine and serve, stir in the mashed plantain over low heat. Fold in the goat cheese without breaking it up completely, then serve hot.
Chef’s Tips
- Choose yellow plantains with dark spots for the sweetness associated with the traditional dish.
- Add the cheese at the end so small pieces remain visible.
- If the goat cheese is very salty, taste before adding extra salt to the seasoning base.
Traditional Variations
Some Piura families substitute fresh cow’s milk cheese when goat cheese isn’t available, though the traditional flavor changes slightly.
In Catacaos it’s common to serve it alongside a fish stew or a bean side dish, forming a complete Lenten plate typical of Piura’s Holy Week.
How to Serve
Serve hot, as a side dish or as part of a fuller Lenten plate, especially during the Fridays of Lent and Holy Week in the Piura region.
Recommended Pairings
- Fish stew or fried fish
- Bean side dish
- Plain white rice
Did You Know?
Malarrabia is a signature dish of the meatless Lenten cooking of Holy Week in Catacaos, Piura, where religious tradition combines with humble, locally available ingredients like ripe plantain and the region’s goat cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a traditional preparation from Piura, with a particularly strong Lenten tradition in Catacaos.
Fresh goat cheese is characteristic; a firm fresh cheese can be substituted, but the flavor will differ.
It is often one component of a Lenten plate with rice, beans, and fish, though it also works as a side dish.
