Name: Cocido de pulpa de uitillo (monob) — Colombian Amazonian fruit stew
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 500 g prepared ripe uitillo pulp or arils, seeds removed; 400 ml water, plus a little more if needed; 10 g fresh green chili (ají biche), finely chopped; remove some seeds for milder heat; 4 g fine salt, or to taste; 80 g firm plain cassava casabe, preferably rested and dry, to serve

A wide serving of cooked uitillo pulp with casabe and dark ripe fruit on a woven table.

Region Amazonas, Colombian Amazon

Category Indigenous Amazonian cooked fruit pulp served with cassava casabe

Yield 4 small portions

Preparation time About 25 minutes, including washing, opening and separating the fruit

Active time About 25 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Cocido de pulpa de uitillo (monob) — Colombian Amazonian fruit stew

Simmer ripe uitillo pulp with green chili and salt until thick and tender, then serve it with firm cassava casabe.

Monob is a moist, gently simmered preparation from the Indigenous food traditions of southern Amazonas, Colombia. The recorded dish uses ripe uitillo fruit pulp, green chili and salt, with cassava casabe alongside. The source describes opening ripe fruits, tapping the pulp away from the seeds, and simmering the pulp in water for at least 30 minutes. It also records monob as a special preparation traditionally served to women after childbirth. That note describes cultural practice; it is not a health claim or medical recommendation.

The source gives no household weights, water quantity or serving count. This measured home version uses 500 g of prepared pulp, 400 ml water, 10 g fresh green chili and 4 g salt for four small portions. It keeps the original ingredient group and technique, while making the water and seasoning manageable in a home kitchen. Use only ripe uitillo supplied and identified for food by a knowledgeable source. Uitillo is associated with Renealmia alpinia in botanical references, but this recipe is not a guide to identifying or foraging wild fruit. The dish is uncommon outside its region; no substitute fruit is presented as equivalent.

Serve the moist, thick pulp with firm plain cassava casabe, ideally the rested, dry style noted in the source. The four-portion yield and measured amounts are practical adaptations, not traditional measurements. Nutrition figures are especially uncertain: available laboratory data describe sirindango fruit from Putumayo, not the specific Amazonas fruit or community preparation, and casabe varies by maker.

Ingredients

500 g prepared ripe uitillo pulp or arils, seeds removed
400 ml water, plus a little more if needed
10 g fresh green chili (ají biche), finely chopped; remove some seeds for milder heat
4 g fine salt, or to taste
80 g firm plain cassava casabe, preferably rested and dry, to serve

Method

Check and wash the fruit Use only ripe fruit confidently identified and supplied for eating. Choose intact fruit without mold, leakage or a fermented smell. Rinse it under clean running water and dry it. Wash your hands, work surface and utensils before opening the fruit.
Separate the pulp from the seeds Open the fruit carefully over a clean bowl. Following the recorded method, tap the fruit gently so the edible pulp loosens from the seeds. Pick out every seed and firm fragment; keep only the soft pulp or arils. The yield from whole fruit can vary, so weigh 500 g of prepared pulp for this adaptation.
Start the pot Put the pulp and 400 ml water in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the chopped green chili and 4 g salt. Bring it just to a boil over medium heat, stirring so the pulp does not settle and catch on the bottom.
Simmer until cooked Lower the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for at least 30 minutes, stirring regularly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof spoon. The fruit should soften into a moist, thick preparation rather than a clear soup. If it begins sticking before it is tender, add water a splash at a time.
Taste and adjust When the pulp is fully soft and the mixture has cooked for at least 30 minutes, taste it carefully. Add salt or a little more chili if desired, then simmer for another minute. Keep the seasoning simple so the fruit remains the focus.
Serve with casabe Spoon the hot monob into four small bowls and serve with 20 g firm cassava casabe per portion. The source specifies old or rested, hard casabe; choose plain dry casabe and check the package if using a commercial product.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These are low-confidence rounded estimates, not a laboratory analysis of monob. The fruit figures use a published same-species sirindango pulp sample from Putumayo as a proxy; that sample may differ from the Amazonas fruit in population, maturity and growing conditions. Cassava casabe varies by recipe and maker, and salt retention also changes the result.

Practical guidance

Buy identified fruit. Uitillo is a regional wild fruit and should not be identified from a photograph or this recipe. Ask a trusted local supplier who knows the food fruit and its maturity. Use ripe pulp. The source specifies mature fruit. Related botanical descriptions note dark, purple-black ripe fruit, but local identification and the supplier’s knowledge matter more than appearance alone. Separate every seed. Tap gently to free the pulp, then inspect it by hand. The source says seeds may be discarded or planted; they are not included in the cooked portion here. Keep it moist, not soupy. Start with the measured water and add only enough to prevent sticking. The traditional category is a wet cocido, not a broth-heavy soup. Respect the source’s open seasoning. Chili and salt are listed to taste. The measured amounts give a mild starting point; adjust them to your preference. Keep the cultural context precise. The book documents a serving tradition after childbirth. This recipe does not assign a medical benefit or suggest that a food should replace individual care.

Serving and planning

The documented accompaniment is firm casabe that has rested or dried. Serve it alongside the hot fruit preparation so it can be broken into bites. The source does not give a side-dish or serving weight; 20 g casabe per portion is a practical amount for this four-portion version. Prepare the pulp soon after separating it, and cook it close to serving time for the best texture.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

The pot is drying before the pulp softens. Lower the heat and stir more often. Add hot water a tablespoon at a time; the mixture should remain thick and moist. The cooked dish is too thin. Simmer uncovered for a few more minutes, stirring so the bottom does not scorch. It should cling to a spoon rather than pour like broth. The chili is too hot. Remove some seeds before chopping, or start with half the measured chili and add more near the end. The source leaves chili quantity to taste. Can I use another fruit? No fruit is named as an equivalent in the source. If identified uitillo is unavailable, wait until you can obtain it rather than renaming a different-fruit dish as monob.

Allergens and food safety

The measured base recipe contains uitillo, green chili, salt and cassava casabe. Check packaged casabe for additional ingredients and cross-contact notices. Wash the fruit before opening it, use clean utensils, remove the seeds, and use only fruit confidently identified for food by a knowledgeable supplier. Do not collect unfamiliar wild berries based on appearance. Refrigerate cooked leftovers in a shallow covered container within two hours; reheat to 74°C (165°F). The traditional postpartum context is descriptive and is not medical advice.

Final notes

Remember 1: The source’s method removes the seeds and simmers the ripe pulp for at least 30 minutes. Remember 2: Serve the thick, hot fruit preparation with firm plain cassava casabe.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One quarter of the cooked pulp mixture with 20 g cassava casabe
Calories: About 300 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 24 g
Protein: About 25 g
Fat: About 11 g
Fibre: About 2 g
Sodium: About 400 mg

Cocido de pulpa de uitillo (monob) — Colombian Amazonian fruit stew

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Serving and planning

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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