I reconstructed this soup from descriptions of explorers and archeological evidence about what ancient Peruvians grew and what resources were available for cooking.
4 habanero peppers
3 jalepeno peppers
3 cups sliced potatoes
1 cup sliced sweet potatoes
1/2 of a cooked butternut squash
1 cup corn meal
salt, to taste
water to cover plus two cups
Chopped peanuts for garnish
Roast the peppers. Place on a rack above ash-covered coals and let them sit until blistered and charred like an Inca, or roast them in a dry skillet on high heat until soft and charred in places like an American. Core them, remove the seeds, and dice. Be careful about the volatile oils in the peppers. Don’t touch your face or genitals until you have washed your hands thoroughly. Put the peppers, the potatoes, and the sweet potatoes in a large soup pot. Add water to cover, plus a little more, about six cups. Boil the soup, then turn it down and simmer for 45 minutes until the potatoes form a thick broth. Remove a cup of broth from the pot and whisk in half the cornmeal. Replace and stir. Do the same with another cup of broth and the remaining corn meal. Add the salt. Serve warm as a thick stew, or cold as a paste. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
Get your own Free Home Page