Name: Rondón (Rundown)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 2 L unsweetened full-fat coconut milk; 1 kg firm white fish fillets, skinless and boneless, cut into 8 pieces; 500 g salted pork pigtail or other salt pork, cut into small pieces; 2 green plantains, peeled and cut lengthwise; 500 g cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into large chunks; 500 g yam (ñame), peeled and cut into large chunks; 250 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks; 250 g breadfruit, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks; 150 g yellow onion, sliced; 15 g garlic, crushed; 15 g fresh ginger, finely grated; 8 g fresh basil and oregano, finely chopped; 1 small hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional); 30 ml fresh lime juice; 1 g black pepper; 200 g wheat flour; 5 g baking powder; 100 ml water; 15 g softened unsalted butter; 2 g fine salt

Region San Andrés and Providencia Islands, Raizal island cuisine

Category Coconut-milk fish and root-vegetable stew with dumplings

Prep time About 45 minutes active

Cook time About 75 minutes

Total time About 2 hours

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Rondón (Rundown)

Rondón: Raizal coconut fish stew from San Andrés and Providencia

Rondón brings the sea and the island garden into one generous pot. In this Raizal preparation, firm fish, salt pork, cassava, yam, sweet potato, breadfruit and green plantain simmer in coconut milk; small dumplings thicken the broth and make the meal especially filling. The result is fragrant and substantial, with tender pieces to share and a creamy coconut broth to spoon over them.

The dish belongs to the living foodways of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. Cultural records describe rondón as a communal cooking and eating tradition as well as a recipe: family, neighbours and friends gather around the pot and share the work. Its name is often linked in island oral history to letting the ingredients cook down together in coconut milk without stirring. Ingredient combinations vary with what the sea and land provide. Published versions use fresh or salted fish, salt pork, conch, pumpkin, breadfruit and different provisions in changing combinations. This recipe follows one documented eight-serving fish-and-salt-pork version; it is not the only island formula.

Freshly extracted coconut milk is the traditional reference. Unsweetened canned coconut milk makes a practical home version with predictable richness. Salt pork is briefly blanched to remove some surface salt, then cooked with the provisions. Add extra salt only after tasting the broth near the end. The fish goes in later than the roots so it stays in tender pieces, and a thermometer confirms it is fully cooked without relying on time alone.

Ingredients

Coconut stew

2 L unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
1 kg firm white fish fillets, skinless and boneless, cut into 8 pieces
500 g salted pork pigtail or other salt pork, cut into small pieces
2 green plantains, peeled and cut lengthwise
500 g cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into large chunks
500 g yam (ñame), peeled and cut into large chunks
250 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
250 g breadfruit, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
150 g yellow onion, sliced
15 g garlic, crushed
15 g fresh ginger, finely grated
8 g fresh basil and oregano, finely chopped
1 small hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
30 ml fresh lime juice
1 g black pepper

Dumplings

200 g wheat flour
5 g baking powder
100 ml water
15 g softened unsalted butter
2 g fine salt

Method

Season the fish and blanch the pork Keep the fish refrigerated while you prepare the other ingredients. Cut it into eight serving pieces and coat with the lime juice and black pepper. Put the salt pork in a small saucepan, cover with fresh water and simmer for ten minutes. Drain and discard this water; it reduces excess surface salt but does not fully cook the pork. Keep raw fish, its board and utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Mix and shape the dumplings Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in the softened butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then add the water gradually until a firm, non-sticky dough forms. Knead just until smooth. Divide into eight small dumplings, flatten each slightly and cover them with a clean towel while you prepare the pot.
Prepare the island provisions Peel the plantains and cut them lengthwise. Cut the cassava, yam, sweet potato and breadfruit into large chunks of similar size so they soften at roughly the same pace. Slice the onion, crush the garlic and grate the ginger. Keep the chopped herbs and optional pepper ready near the stove. Use a wide, heavy pot with a lid; the ingredients should fit in a loose layer rather than be packed tightly.
Start the coconut base Pour the coconut milk into the pot and add the onion and garlic. Bring it just to a gentle simmer and cook for three minutes. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the coconut milk separate. Lower in the cassava, yam, plantain and sweet potato, distributing them evenly through the liquid. Cover and simmer gently for about twenty-five minutes. Do not stir vigorously; if a piece catches on the bottom, use a spoon to shift it carefully.
Add the remaining provisions and pork Add the breadfruit and blanched salt pork. Keep the pot at a steady, gentle simmer until the cassava and yam are nearly tender when pierced with a knife. The pieces should be softening but still hold their shape. If the liquid is reducing too quickly before the roots are tender, add a little hot water. Keep the stew thick and spoonable rather than turning it into a thin soup.
Poach the fish and cook the dumplings Nestle the fish pieces into the stew without breaking up the provisions. Add the ginger, basil, oregano and optional hot pepper. Lay the dumplings on top, cover the pot and simmer gently until the dumplings are cooked through and the thickest fish piece reaches 63°C when checked with a clean food thermometer. The fish should also be opaque and separate easily into flakes. Taste the broth only now; the salt pork may provide enough salt. Add a little more only if needed.
Portion and serve Lift the fish and dumplings carefully so they remain whole. Spoon a piece of fish, a little salt pork, one dumpling and a selection of provisions into each warm bowl. Ladle coconut broth over the top. Serve immediately while the broth is hot and the provisions are tender. If the pot is held for serving, keep it hot; refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

Practical guidance

Practical

Practical guidance

Choose a firm white fish that will hold together during simmering, such as snapper or tilapia. Cut the fillets into even pieces and avoid stirring once they are in the pot. If using frozen fish, thaw it in the refrigerator and pat it dry before seasoning. Do not use fish with a sour, rancid or ammonia-like odor. Cassava must be peeled fully; discard the fibrous central core if it is prominent. Use firm, green plantains rather than ripe sweet ones, because ripe plantains soften faster and change the broth’s sweetness. Breadfruit is a defining island provision in this version; when unavailable, increase the cassava by the same weight, understanding that this is a practical substitution rather than an identical result. Yam varieties differ in cooking time, so check each type for tenderness. The stew’s traditional texture is rich and somewhat reduced, not a thin soup. Coconut milk brands vary; if the broth becomes too thick before the roots are tender, loosen it with hot water a little at a time. If it is too loose at the end, uncover the pot briefly and simmer gently before adding the fish. Freshly extracted coconut milk can be used in the same total volume, but its concentration varies with the coconut and extraction method, so the final richness may differ. The dumplings are soft and plain by design. They absorb the coconut broth and help make the pot a full meal. Mix them only until the dough comes together; overworking can make them dense. Keep raw fish refrigerated while the roots cook and use separate utensils for raw and cooked food. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers at or below 4°C within two hours, use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C until steaming hot throughout.

Final notes

Allergens: Contains fish, wheat (gluten) and coconut; check labels and cross-contact statements where relevant. Safety: Cook the thickest fish piece to 63°C; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 of 8 portions, with fish, pork, provisions, broth and 1 dumpling
Calories: 1,470 kcal
Carbohydrate: 100 g
Protein: 39 g
Fat: 105 g
Fibre: 9 g
Sodium: 1050 mg

Rondón (Rundown)

Ingredients

Coconut stew

Dumplings

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Crab Patties (Empanadas de Cangrejo)

Ensalada de Caracol (Conch Salad)

Cazuela de mariscos (Colombian seafood casserole)