AI-generated image
Sopa seca chinchana
Sopa seca chinchana: Chincha's 'dry soup' of spaghetti cooked in a basil, ají panca and chicken broth
PeruvianDespite the name, there is no soup in a bowl: sopa seca is spaghetti cooked like a risotto in a well-seasoned chicken broth with basil, ají panca and tomato until every drop is absorbed and the noodles turn reddish-green and fragrant. In Chincha and Ica it always arrives on the same plate as carapulcra, the two together forming the famous festive 'matrimonio', with a chicken thigh on top. Expect soft, very savoury pasta with a mild warmth from the chilli. Where it goes wrong is pouring in all the broth at once, which leaves the pasta swimming and mushy; add it in stages, as for risotto. Chef's tip: blend the basil with a little oil and stir it in only in the last minutes, so it stays green instead of turning brown.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chicken and broth
For the pasta
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Season 6 chicken thighs with 1 ½ tsp salt. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide, deep pan over a medium-high heat and brown the thighs skin side down until golden. Lift out.
8 minStep 2: Fry 1 red onion and 4 garlic cloves in the same pan over a medium heat until soft.
6 minStep 3: Add 2 tbsp ají panca paste, 1 tbsp ají amarillo paste, 2 tomatoes, ½ tsp achiote (annatto) powder and ½ tsp ground cumin and cook, stirring, until thick and the oil separates.
6 minStep 4: Return the chicken, add half of 3 cups chicken stock, cover and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F next to the bone. Lift it out and keep warm.
25 minStep 5: Add 14 oz spaghetti to the simmering broth and stir so it doesn't clump. Cook uncovered over a medium heat, adding the rest of 3 cups chicken stock a ladle at a time as it is absorbed.
12 minStep 6: Blend 1 ⅜ oz fresh basil leaves with 2 tbsp olive oil and a splash of broth to a smooth green paste.
Step 7: When the pasta is tender and almost all the liquid has gone, stir in the basil paste and cook for 2 more minutes, until the pasta is glossy and there is no free liquid.
2 minStep 8: Serve the sopa seca with a chicken thigh on top, alongside carapulcra if you made it.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa seca chinchana take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Boiled pasta
The basic method for any dried pasta, from penne to spaghetti. A large pan of salted boiling water keeps the pasta from sticking, and you cook it only until just done, with a little bite left. Use it in salads, bakes or with any sauce.
Italian
Mint pistachio pesto
A fresh, fragrant pesto made with mint leaves and toasted pistachios. It is lovely tossed through hot pasta or spooned over roasted vegetables, and a spoonful lifts a plain vegetable soup.
Laksam
Kota Bharu's morning market has its own noodle: laksam, thick sheets of steamed rice batter rolled up like little carpets and sliced into wheels. They are drowned in a pale, creamy gravy of pounded fish and coconut milk, then heaped with raw herbs and vegetables (ulam): cucumber, long beans, bean sprouts, daun kesum and torch ginger flower, with a spoonful of fiery chilli and budu, the region's fermented anchovy sauce. The result is soft and slippery, rich and cool at the same time. Locals eat it for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. Chef's tip: pound the cooked fish with the shallots instead of blending it smooth; the gravy should feel faintly textured, like a thin porridge.
Malaysian