
Porotos granados
Fresh bean, pumpkin and corn stew
Chilean summer stew of fresh shelling beans, pumpkin and grated corn with basil
Porotos granados is what central Chile cooks when the fresh beans arrive in late summer: tender cranberry beans shelled at the kitchen table, simmered with pumpkin until it collapses into a thick orange sauce, then finished with grated corn and basil. Families in the Valle Central eat it on hot days, often with pebre and a tomato salad; when the corn is blended in larger amounts it's called 'con mazamorra'. It's hearty but fresh-tasting, and fully plant-based. Chef's tip: add the corn only in the last 10 minutes; it's there to thicken and sweeten, and overcooked it turns floury.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 380 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp chilli flakes or merkén (optional)optional heat
- 1 ⅓ lb fresh cranberry (borlotti) beansshelled weight; or 2 tins borlotti, drained
- 1 ⅛ lb pumpkinor butternut squash, peeled, in 2 cm cubes
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 10 ½ oz sweetcorn kernelsfresh, half of it coarsely blended
- 1 large handful fresh basiltorn
- 1 ½ tsp saltto taste
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 onion for 6–7 minutes until soft and golden, then add 2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp sweet paprika and ½ tsp chilli flakes or merkén and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
7 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅓ lb fresh cranberry (borlotti) beans, 1 ⅛ lb pumpkin and 3 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, then simmer, partly covered, for 25–30 minutes until the beans are tender and creamy inside (10 minutes if using tinned).
30 minStep 3: Mash some of the pumpkin against the side of the pot so it melts into the broth and turns it thick and orange.
Step 4: Stir in 10 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels and half of 1 large handful fresh basil and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring often as it thickens. Add a splash of water if it gets too stiff; it should be spoonable, like a thick soup. Common mistake: salting fresh beans at the start; add 1 ½ tsp salt only once they're soft or they can stay firm.
10 minStep 5: Season with 1 ½ tsp salt and serve in bowls with the rest of the basil on top.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 15 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does porotos granados take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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