Lagua (Lagua de choclo)
Overview
Lagua is a thick, creamy Andean soup made from ground corn, eaten all over Bolivia. The most popular version, lagua de choclo, uses fresh, tender corn kernels ground to a milky paste, which is stirred into a beef or pork broth with onion, garlic, cumin and potatoes. As it cooks the corn thickens the soup until it is smooth and almost like a porridge. It is seasoned with oregano and parsley and often served with a spoon of llajwa, the fiery Bolivian tomato and chilli sauce, and fried pork crackling or cheese on top.
History
Corn has been the staple of the Andes for thousands of years, and lagua comes from the Quechua and Aymara word for a thick soup of ground grain. Older versions were made with dried corn, quinoa or chuño flour. Lagua de choclo is especially popular in the rainy season, from January to March, when fresh corn is harvested in the valleys around Cochabamba, Sucre and La Paz.
Main ingredients
Fresh corn (choclo), beef or pork, potatoes, onion, oregano and parsley, llajwa chilli sauce. The soup is built on thick corn broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Beef soups · Pork soups · Potato soups · Corn soups · More soups from Bolivia
Recipe
Method
- 140 min
Simmer the meat with the onion and garlic in 2 l water for 40 minutes.
- 210 min
Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
- 315 min
Stir in the blended corn and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick.
- 4
Season with cumin, oregano and parsley.
- 5
Serve with llajwa.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 20m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
