La Paz Chairo
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Chuño (freeze-dried potato), soaked overnight — 150 g (1 cup)
- Lamb or beef, cut into chunks — 300 g (10 oz)
- Dried white beans, soaked — 100 g (1/2 cup)
- Potatoes, diced — 2
- Carrot, diced — 1
- Peas — 80 g (1/2 cup)
- Rice — 50 g (1/4 cup)
- Onion, finely chopped — 1
- Garlic cloves, minced — 2
- Aji amarillo paste — 1 tbsp
- Beef or lamb stock — 2 L (8 cups)
- Fresh mint and parsley, chopped, to finish
- Salt — to taste
Method
- Peel the soaked chuño and set aside.
- In a large pot, brown the meat, then add onion, garlic and aji amarillo paste, cooking until fragrant.
- Add the stock and drained beans, bring to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes.
- Add the chuño, potato, carrot and rice, and continue simmering for 30 minutes.
- Add the peas in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Season with salt, stir in fresh mint and parsley just before serving, and serve piping hot.
Introduction: Chairo is a thick Andean soup from the La Paz highlands, built around chuño (freeze-dried potato), a preservation technique dating back to the Tiwanaku and Inca eras.
Cultural Background: Chairo is a thick Andean soup from the La Paz highlands, built around chuño (freeze-dried potato), a preservation technique dating back to the Tiwanaku and Inca eras. Hearty enough to serve as a full meal, it is especially popular in the cold season and at altitude.
Tips: Soak the chuño for at least 8 hours to soften and remove bitterness.
Variations: A vegetarian chairo replaces meat with extra beans and a mushroom stock. Vegetarian / Vegan Note Use vegetable stock and extra beans in place of meat.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days; freezes well for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little stock or water as the soup thickens on standing.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 340 kcal, 22g protein, 9g fat, 42g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: What is chuño and where do I find it?
A: Chuño is freeze-dried Andean potato, sold in South American grocery stores; if unavailable, cubed potato can substitute though the flavour differs.
- Chuño (freeze-dried potato), soaked overnight — 150 g (1 cup)
- Lamb or beef, cut into chunks — 300 g (10 oz)
- Dried white beans, soaked — 100 g (1/2 cup)
- Potatoes, diced — 2
- Carrot, diced — 1
- Peas — 80 g (1/2 cup)
- Rice — 50 g (1/4 cup)
- Onion, finely chopped — 1
- Garlic cloves, minced — 2
- Aji amarillo paste — 1 tbsp
- Beef or lamb stock — 2 L (8 cups)
- Fresh mint and parsley, chopped, to finish
- Salt — to taste
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