Lunches
Cachupa Leve (Light Everyday Cachupa)
Ingredients
- - Dried hominy corn (milho), soaked overnight — 300 g (1.5 cups)
- - Dried lima beans, soaked overnight — 150 g (3/4 cup)
- - Sweet potato, peeled and cubed — 200 g (1 medium)
- - Cassava, peeled and cubed — 150 g (1 cup)
- - Onion, chopped — 1 medium (1 medium)
- - Garlic, minced — 2 cloves (2 cloves)
- - Tomato, chopped — 1 large (1 large)
- - Smoked sausage (linguiça) or bacon, sliced — 100 g (3.5 oz)
- - Bay leaf — 1 (1)
- - Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp (2 tbsp)
- - Salt and black pepper — to taste (to taste)
Method
- Drain the soaked hominy and beans and add to a large pot with fresh water to cover generously.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, topping up water as needed.
- In a separate pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft, then add the tomato and sausage; cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the sautéed mixture, sweet potato, cassava and bay leaf to the pot of corn and beans.
- Simmer for a further 30–40 minutes until the vegetables and corn are tender and the stew has thickened slightly.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve hot in deep bowls.
Introduction: While cachupa rica is reserved for special occasions, cachupa leve is the everyday, lighter version eaten for lunch across Cape Verdean households — hominy corn and beans simmered with vegetables and a modest amount of meat or fish, stretched to feed a family through the week.
Cultural Background: While cachupa rica is reserved for special occasions, cachupa leve is the everyday, lighter version eaten for lunch across Cape Verdean households — hominy corn and beans simmered with vegetables and a modest amount of meat or fish, stretched to feed a family through the week.
Tips: Soak the corn and beans the night before — this is not a dish that can be rushed. A well-made cachupa leve should be brothy, not dry; add hot water if it reduces too far.
Variations: Swap the sausage for a piece of salted fish for a coastal version. Add shredded cabbage or kale in the last 10 minutes for extra greens. Omit the sausage/bacon and use vegetable stock for a satisfying vegetarian version.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days; freezes well for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition: Approx. 380 kcal, 16 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat per serving.
FAQs:
Q: What’s the difference between cachupa leve and cachupa rica?
A: Cachupa rica uses more and varied meats and is reserved for special occasions, while cachupa leve is the simpler, everyday version.
Q: Can I use canned hominy to save time?
A: Yes, though texture and depth of flavour improve significantly with dried corn soaked and cooked from scratch. SEO Keywords cachupa leve recipe, cape verdean corn and bean stew, crioulo lunch Image Prompt A deep bowl of rustic corn and bean stew with visible chunks of sweet potato, cassava and sausage, steam rising, wooden table setting.