PREP: 40 MIN | COOK: 2H45 | SERVINGS: 5
BACKGROUND
Introduction
Lalo is one of Haiti’s national dishes. It's traditionally prepared with fresh jute leaves, beef, pork, seafood, and a variety of spices; resulting in a deliciously flavorful stew with a smooth finish.
Like turkey is served in the United States every fourth Thursday of November, the Haitian traditional pumpkin soup is also served yearly in Haiti. Called “soup Joumou” in the mother tongue, it is emblematic of our Independence Day which happened on January 1st, 1804. Forbidden to slaves during the colonization, eating "Soup Joumou" became the symbol of their freedom when they gained their independence. As of December 16, 2021, Haitian pumpkin soup is part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Although the famous soup is Haiti’s national dish, every single region of the country has its signature dish that has crossed many generations. For instance, “TonmTonm,” a type of okra stew traditionally eaten with breadfruit paste, is the signature dish in the South-East of Haiti. This article will be focusing on an interesting dish native to L' Artibonite that is genuinely loved by many in Haiti and overseas, the “Haitian Lalo”.
What is Haitian Lalo?
Lalo or "legim fey" is one of Haiti’s national dishes. It is native to Artibonite, one of ten departments in Haiti in the Central region.
The Artibonite region of Haiti
It's traditionally prepared with fresh jute leaves, beef, pork, seafood, and a variety of spices, resulting in a deliciously flavorful stew with a smooth finish. This dish has conquered many hearts. Just like Italy is known for its pizza and pasta, Artibonite is known for its Haitian Lalo dish. And, just like Italians are known for being meticulous about the way they cook their pasta, so are the Artibonitians. We may get irritated when someone supposedly presents us with a Lalo dish, but it tastes nothing like it. However, one must not take offense as it is only a show of passion because we know how tasty that dish is and feel offended when someone ruins it.
What are Jute leaves?
Jute goes by many names depending on what part of the world you are in – lalo (Haiti), edewu (Nigeria), ayoyo (Ghana), and saluyot (Egypt) are just a few. The jute plant is highly versatile. The young plant is soft and tender like Spinach and is used to thicken stews and soups. The older plant is more fibrous and typically used in textiles like rugs and even paper. Jute is relatively low calorie and contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, riboflavin, and iron. It is even rumored to have anti-aging properties favored by Cleopatra herself.
Cleaning the jute and removing the leaves can be time-sensitive in the process of cooking Haitian Lalo. One can buy jute at the market if it is not grown in their garden. This process is usually undertaken by women and when hosting a big event where a lot of people are expected, a significant amount of jute leaves is needed. It is customary for the women to come together to perform this task while talking and sharing stories.
Lalo and the Artibonite Tradition
Culturally, in the Artibonite department, Lalo is served in every important event; from wedding celebrations to commemorating someone's death. When having visitors, the Artibonitian will certainly cook it for their host. Even if it can be eaten every day, it is the main dish served in the votive festival of the region. Additionally, it is always served at any type of annual fair all over the country.
Back in the day, when the kitchen was “unfairly” a women's main chamber, it was considered a shame for a woman from L’Artibonite to not be able to perfectly cook Lalo. Similarly, we are very particular about cooking rice, as we are the first department producing it in Haiti. Early on, every young girl that grows up in this part of the country is taught how to cook white rice, usually around the age of 6 years old. I learned it when I was seven.
The art of making Haitian Lalo is passed down from generation to generation. In the past, in the rural area of Artibonite, people from the same family lived together in what we call "Lakou". A Lakou is a large, delimited surface where family members built houses when they married. Consequently, all the kids would grow up together and learn by watching their moms, grandmothers, and aunts cook and by engaging as clerks. Usually, by the age of 11, most kids would master the art of cooking Lalo. In between, we also developed some other skills like how to handle a knife and prepare the Haitian famous spice "epis" that we use to marinate meat and season everything we cook, including the Lalo. Furthermore, we learned how to control the level of fire and temperature since we only used firewood or charcoal in the past. All that knowledge contributed to us becoming outstanding in the kitchen and being able to achieve a mouthwatering plate of Lalo and rice.
Indeed, in L’Artibonite, Lalo is always served with a plate of rice. That is mainly because most Artibonite people hate the other serving, especially corn, reminding them of the aridity period when cultivating rice. Even if one can choose to eat Lalo with anything they want to, Artibonitians have an unconditional love story with rice. They can eat it at every meal and throughout the day because it is their main food production. For that reason, many will say that their favorite dish is Lalo with white rice and sometimes bean puree (the most variety of beans, including kidney bean and green bean).
