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Purtumute
Purtumute: a hearty northern Amazon stew of beans and white mote corn with culantro
High-jungle towns like Chachapoyas and Moyobamba, in the cloud-forest regions of Amazonas and San Martín, serve purtumute at festivals and family gatherings: a thick pot of beans and big white mote corn kernels simmered with onion, garlic, chilli and plenty of chopped culantro. Some versions add cheese or pork crackling; this one keeps it vegan, letting the creamy beans and chewy corn carry the dish. It is filling and earthy with a fresh green finish, and it is served in bowls with ají on the side and a plantain or a little rice. The dried beans need an overnight soak, which isn't included in the times. The usual mistake is adding salt and the sofrito too early, which can stop the beans from softening; season once they are tender. Canned or jarred white hominy works for the mote. Chef's tip: mash a ladle of the beans against the side of the pot near the end; it thickens the stew without any flour.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz dried beans, put them in a large pot and cover with 2 litres of fresh water. Bring to the boil, skim off the foam and simmer, partly covered, until tender and creamy inside, 60–80 minutes. Top up with hot water so they stay covered.
75 minStep 2: While the beans cook, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 1 red onion until soft and golden, 7 minutes. Add 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp ají panca paste, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp dried oregano and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it smells toasty and the oil turns red.
10 minStep 3: When the beans are tender, stir in the onion mixture, 1 ⅛ lb cooked white hominy (mote) and 1 ½ tsp salt. Simmer gently for 20 minutes so the flavours mingle, stirring now and then.
20 minStep 4: Mash a ladle of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in, until the broth is thick and creamy. Add a little hot water if it gets too stiff.
Step 5: Stir in 1 ⅜ oz coriander leaves and serve hot in bowls with 4 tbsp ají or chilli sauce on the side.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 15 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does purtumute take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 105 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- 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?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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