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Calapurca
Calapurca: hearty hominy and meat soup from Jujuy, traditionally heated with red-hot stones
Nobody hurries calapurca. In the villages of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, especially around Carnival and the August Pachamama rites, cooks heat stones in the fire until they glow and then drop them into a clay pot of soup made from dried maize, beef and lamb (or llama), potatoes and chilli, so it boils up in a hiss of steam and takes on a faintly smoky taste. Bowls are passed around the gathering with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. The stones are a ritual best left to people who know which ones are safe, because wet or river stones can crack or burst when heated, so this home version simply simmers on the stove. Look for dried white hominy (mote, or pozole corn) in Latin American shops; it needs soaking overnight. The usual problem is undercooked corn: it needs a good 2 hours before the meat goes in. Chef's tip: for a hint of the smoky flavour, char the onion and a dried chilli in a dry pan before adding them.
- Total time
- 200 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain 10 ½ oz dried white hominy and put it in a large pot with 3 litres of water. Bring to the boil and simmer, partly covered, for 1½ hours, until the kernels start to split.
90 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb beef shin, 1 ⅛ lb lamb neck, 1 onion and 1 dried mild red chilli and bring back to the boil, skimming off the foam. Simmer for 1 hour, until the meat is tender.
60 minStep 3: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a small pan over a low heat and fry 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp ají molido (mild ground red chilli) and 1 tsp ground cumin for 1 minute, until the oil turns red. Stir it into the soup.
1 minStep 4: Add 1 ⅓ lb potatoes, 10 ½ oz squash and 2 tsp salt and simmer for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, the lamb falls from the bone and the meat is cooked right through.
25 minStep 5: Stir in 1 tsp dried oregano, taste for salt and serve in deep bowls topped with 3 spring onions.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does calapurca take?
- About 200 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of dried mild red chilli?
- Green chilli, same amount (same heat, greener taste).
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