Algonkian Succotash (Sahquttahhash)
2023-11-20- Cuisine: Native American
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I am very grateful to Amanda, Iyokpi-Ha-Mato
of the Agaidika Lemhi, Pawmunkey, Mattaponey, Lenni Lenape, Onöñda’gaga, Oneida, and Ani’-Kawi’.
Owner, Traditional Forest Stewards, LLC
Who has sent me this Algonkian Succotash recipe!
A NOTE FROM AMANDA
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You may add several meats to this dish to make it less of a side dish and more of a complete meal. Our people used venison, elk, caribou, rabbit, or bison, but also use shellfish such as littleneck clams, Atlantic shrimp, lobster, and fish (both salt and fresh water types). If using seafood, add one jar of lobster juice (Bar Harbor has a great one you can purchase online or at some Publix locations). You can, especially when using seafood, exchange the meat stock for seafood stock. We did not use salt or pepper, but you can add them if you prefer, and also to add a little bit of onion or garlic flavor, you can use wild ramps, but we did not use those.
I prefer this recipe with bison (plains style), Atlantic salmon (Shoshone style), or seafood (Algonkian style), and instead of frybread as we had been left to use on the rezes, I like cornmeal frybread without wheat. A little side of wild pawpaw, wild cranberry, or other wild berries can round out the meal.
The salted water is used because that was our original source of salt, brackish river water. Pink salt can be some of the cleanest (and longest distance from modern toxins), but sea salt is more accurate.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups authentic organic succotash beans (Phaseolus vulgaris); fresh, or thawed from frozen
- 1 cup fresh groundnuts (Apios Americana) (you can add other parts of the ground nut plant as desired)
- 2 cups organic corn (hominy-style dried corn kernels is more authentic- this style must be soaked for 10-12 hours prior to cooking in order to soften, then use ushuccohomen)
- 3 large organic yams; diced
- 1 cup salted water (heat to just boiling fresh spring water and add one tablespoon sea salt; stir until salt is dissolved)
- ¼ cup powcohiscora or nut milk (traditionally ground walnut was used)
- ¼ cup venison, elk, caribou, or bison broth (beef is less authentic, but easier to acquire)
- 2 tablespoons venison, elk, caribou, or bison tallow or lard
Method
Step 1
Add all the above to a large stew pot, add 4 cups of spring water (without salt) and bring to just a boil. Lower temperature to med low and allow to simmer for at least two hours (check water level occasionally but do not use the salted water after the first addition, just use plain water). Stew is done when succotash and yams are soft, and if meat is used, meat is cooked thoroughly.