Kadushi (Sopi di kadushi)
Overview
Kadushi is a thick green soup from Curaçao made from the flesh of the kadushi, a tall columnar cactus that grows wild across the dry island. The spines and skin are cut away and the soft inner flesh is cut up and cooked until it breaks down, giving the soup a smooth, slightly slippery texture like okra. It is usually cooked with salted beef, pig tail and salt fish, which are soaked first, plus onion, garlic, sweet pepper and a little cumin. The flavour is mild, green and savoury. It is traditionally eaten with funchi, a firm cornmeal side dish like polenta.
History
Kadushi is one of the best-known dishes of Krioyo, the local food of Curaçao, alongside stobá stews and funchi. Cleaning the spiny cactus is slow, careful work, so the soup is a labour of love, often made by grandmothers for the family. It reflects how islanders made use of the few plants that thrive in Curaçao's arid climate.
Main ingredients
Kadushi cactus, salted beef, pig tail, salt fish, onion, cumin. The soup is built on cactus broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Beef soups · Fish and seafood soups
Recipe
Method
- 145 min
Boil the salted beef and pig tails in 2 l fresh water for 45 minutes.
- 2
Cut the cactus flesh into small pieces.
- 330 min
Add the cactus, onion, pepper, garlic and cumin and simmer for 30 minutes, until the cactus has broken down.
- 410 min
Stir in the salt fish and cook for 10 minutes more.
- 5
Season with black pepper and serve with funchi.
- ✓
Serve. About 2h 10m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
