Home Audrey’s Travel Recipes Porotos Granados: Chile’s Gift to the World

Porotos Granados: Chile’s Gift to the World

Audrey's Recipes

With apologizes to France, Chile is the most hospitable nation in the world. Actually, I adore the French, but no country tops the warmth and graciousness of the people of Chile. As a clueless gringa,  I recall with fondness my first trek to Santiago from Viña del Mar, when I asked a gentleman which train to take. Realizing I was Yankee tourist, he insisted upon paying for my entire transport. I politely protested. The gentleman replied, ‘You are a guest in my country, and it is my wish to host you.’ I recalled the words of Mark Twain, which goes something like: The act of kindness is a language the whole world can understand.

Porotos Granados

Porotos Granados is the national dish of Chile. The basic ingredients — pumpkin, cranberry beans, corn and tomatoes — are all indigenous to the New World, pre-dating the arrival of Europeans.

Vegetarians will be delighted to find that there are no meat products in the dish, and that the recipe is heart-healthy and absolutely delicious. A popular summer dish in Chile, you can prepare this recipe year-round, substituting with white or navy beans.

Porotos Granados

You can also spice it up a bit by using a hot green chili pepper, seeded and minced. Sometimes it is garnished with sweet basil. Keep in mind this is a stew – sometimes called Chilean Bean Stew in English – and like all stews the recipe can vary to your liking. I once devoured the sublime dish with a family who served it with a fried egg on top.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 cup pumpkin, peeled and cubed (acorn or butternut squash can be substituted)
  • 2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
  • 1-2 cups water
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 2 cups beans – shelled fresh cranberry beans (again, you may substitute with white or navy beans)

fresh cranberry beans

Preparation:

  1. Simmer the fresh cranberry beans gently in water for 30-45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and add the onions and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add paprika, pumpkin, tomato and corn, stirring until vegetables are soft and fragrant.
  3. Add 1 cup of water, covered for 5-10 more minutes. Add the beans (and more water if necessary) and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until pumpkin is very soft and begins to fall apart and thicken the stew. Simmer even longer, uncover to thicken the stew, or add more water if a thinner stew is desired.

Buen apetito!

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One Comment

  1. Richard Frisbie

    February 4, 2020 at 11:04 am

    This sounds like a nice, simple but good tasting stew – Thanks!

    Reply

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