Pepian (Week 31, Guatemala)

This recipe is a part of my Global Vegan Challenge where each week I research and develop a recipe from a different country in the world. Many of these recipes are veganized based off their omnivore counterparts. While not all of these recipes are a one for one what you’ll find in their country, I hope you’ll still find them delicious!

Recipe Notes

This dish is typically made with chicken or some kind of meat. I skipped that and the faux meats all together and decided to go for black beans instead. If you’d like to use faux meat, feel welcome to sub the black beans for vegan chicken.

Many pepian recipes include a step where after you blend your chile sauce you run it through a metal sieve. I attempted this when I made this recipe but found that the sauce was too thick, so I ended up foregoing this step. The end result is a thicker, more fibrous sauce, which I don’t think is a bad thing!

I served this in the photos with a side of corn tortillas. This is completely optional so I didn’t include it in the recipe below, but toasting some up real quick tastes great alongside the pepian.

I’m trash at not burning rice when it’s not in my Instapot, so I’m not providing a recipe for white rice below for fear I will screw up your rice as well. So prepare your rice according to it’s packaging. I cooked about 2 cups of dried white rice for this recipe.

Vegan Pepian

Details

Servings

8 to 10 servings

Prep time

30 minutes

Cooking time

30 minutes

Ingredients

7 cups Vegetable Broth
2 cups Cilantro, Chopped
2 15 ounce Cans of Black Beans
1/4 pound Green Beans
1/4 cup Sesame Seeds (Optional : make extra for garnish)
1/4 cup Pepitas (Optional : make extra for garnish)
4 Yukon Gold Potatoes
4 Vine Tomatoes
2 Yellow Onions
2 Tomatillos
2 Chayote Squash (or any squash, such as zucchini will do)
12 Garlic Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick (I used ceylon cinnamon)
1 ounce Whole Dried Pasilla Chiles
1 ounce Whole Dried Guajillo Chiles
1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
1 teaspoon Salt

Directions

First char you vegetables you’ll be putting in the sauce. Quarter tomatoes, tomatillos, and onions. Remove skin from garlic cloves. Line a large pan with aluminum foil and place over high heat. Place tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, and garlic in pan. Allow each side to char, and once charred remove from pan and set aside. When tomatoes are charred and cool enough handle, remove skins and discard.
Prepare chiles. Cut or tear off the stems and remove seeds. Discard seeds and stems. Tear remaining chile flesh into strips.
Heat up a pan on medium heat and place sesame, pepitas, guajillo, pasilla, and peppercorns inside once hot. Stir fragrantly until toasted then set aside.
Add charred veggies and toasted spices to a blender along with oregano and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Blend on high until ingredients have liquefied.
Heat up a large pot on medium high heat with remaining 6 cups of vegetable stock. Add cinnamon stick and salt. ring to a low simmer.
While stock is heating up prepare your remaining vegetables. Chop up potatoes into large chunks (about 1 inch) and immediately add to simmering stock. Allow to simmer for 5 – 8 minutes before adding your other vegetables.
Peel chayote and remove inner seed. Chop into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks. Add to pot and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
Chop off ends of green beans, and drain your canned black beans. At this point your chayote and potatoes should be fully cooked. Add your green beans and black beans to the stew. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow flavors to marry for 10 minutes.
Dice up fresh cilantro until you have about 2 cups. Set aside, but put a a couple of tablespoons aside for garnish.
Once the stew is ready remove lid from pot and mix in fresh cilantro.
Serve pepian hot in a bowl over white rice with a side of corn tortillas. Garnish with cilantro and extra pepitas and sesame. Enjoy!