Name: Chupe de camarones arequipeño
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 69 min
Total time: 104 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 900 g whole river shrimp — cleaned, peeled; shells and heads reserved; about 420 g peeled tails; 1200 ml water — for stock; 30 ml vegetable oil; 140 g red onion — finely chopped; 18 g garlic — finely chopped; 35 g ají panca paste; 160 g tomatoes — chopped; 350 g yellow potatoes — peeled and in 3 cm pieces; 150 g fresh corn kernels — choclo or similar starchy corn; 90 g rice — uncooked, rinsed; 120 g broad beans — shelled; 120 g green peas — shelled; 6 g fine salt; 2 g dried oregano; 7 g huacatay leaves — chopped; 240 ml evaporated milk — unsweetened; 150 g queso fresco — pasteurised, diced; 4 whole large eggs — hard-boiled separately

Chupe de camarones arequipeño — creamy river-shrimp soup

Yield 4 generous soup bowls

Prep 35 minutes

Cook 69 minutes

Passive 0 minutes

Total 104 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Chupe de camarones arequipeño — creamy river-shrimp soup

Chupe de camarones is closely associated with Arequipa and its picanterías, the region’s established style of eating and cooking places. It is a substantial soup rather than a thin seafood broth: potatoes, corn and legumes give each bowl body, while ají panca colours the base.

The shrimp stock is important. Shells and heads, where obtained from a reputable food supplier, provide more flavour than water alone; the strained broth then cooks the starches and vegetables. The shrimp meat enters late so it does not become rubbery. For readers without Peruvian river shrimp, a farmed prawn version is a disclosed ingredient substitution rather than an identical regional product.

Cheese and evaporated milk soften the spice and enrich the liquid. Add them after the most vigorous cooking, because hard boiling can split the milk and toughen the shrimp. Fully cooked eggs can be served in each bowl without requiring partially set yolks.

Ingredients

Shrimp and stock

900 g whole river shrimp — cleaned, peeled; shells and heads reserved; about 420 g peeled tails
1200 ml water — for stock

Soup base

30 ml vegetable oil
140 g red onion — finely chopped
18 g garlic — finely chopped
35 g ají panca paste
160 g tomatoes — chopped
350 g yellow potatoes — peeled and in 3 cm pieces
150 g fresh corn kernels — choclo or similar starchy corn
90 g rice — uncooked, rinsed
120 g broad beans — shelled
120 g green peas — shelled
6 g fine salt
2 g dried oregano
7 g huacatay leaves — chopped

To finish

240 ml evaporated milk — unsweetened
150 g queso fresco — pasteurised, diced
4 whole large eggs — hard-boiled separately

Method

Make the shell stock.Place the cleaned shrimp heads and shells in a pot with 1200 ml water. Simmer for 15 minutes, pressing them gently against the side, then strain through a fine sieve; discard the solids. Keep peeled shrimp tails chilled. The strained liquid smells clearly of shrimp and contains no hard shell pieces. Time: 15 minutes.
Cook the ají base.In a large clean soup pot heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the red onion 5 minutes, stir in garlic and ají panca for 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and simmer 4 minutes more. The onion is soft and the ají paste has lost its raw sharp smell. Time: 12 minutes.
Simmer the rice and vegetables.Pour the strained stock into the pot. Add rice, potatoes and fresh corn; simmer for 15 minutes, then add broad beans and peas for another 10 minutes. Stir just enough to stop rice sticking to the base. The rice is tender, the potatoes admit a knife, and the beans are cooked through. Time: 25 minutes.
Cook eggs completely.While the soup simmers, place the eggs in a smaller saucepan under water and boil for 10 minutes, then cool under running cold water and peel. Use a clean board to halve them. Both yolk and white are fully set; no liquid egg remains. Time: 10 minutes.
Cook the shrimp.Add the chilled peeled shrimp tails to the simmering soup for 4 minutes, stirring gently and checking a thick tail for at least 63 °C. The shrimp are opaque, firm and measure 63 °C at the thickest point. Time: 4 minutes.
Enrich without boiling.Lower the heat and stir in the evaporated milk, cheese, 6 g salt, oregano and huacatay. Warm for 3 minutes without letting the pot boil hard. Ladle into four bowls and add one boiled egg to each. The broth is creamy and evenly seasoned without curdled milk. Time: 3 minutes.

Practical

Practical guidance

A generous bowl works as a main course; make sure each serving receives shrimp, potato, maize, beans, cheese and egg rather than mostly broth. The soup is best served immediately because rice thickens it further as it stands. For advance preparation, cook only the broth and vegetable base and chill promptly; add seafood and dairy when reheating. To keep leftovers, cool quickly in shallow containers, refrigerate for no more than three to four days, and reheat to 74 °C throughout. If replacing river shrimp with sea prawns, state the ingredient change clearly: the stock is different. Use pasteurised queso fresco and milk.

Control points

Soup becomes too thickRice or potato absorbed liquid during standing. Heat gently while stirring and serve promptly rather than boiling it down further.
Milk separatesThe dairy was added into a rolling boil. Reduce the heat before adding it and stir gently.

Nutrition per 1 bowl, about 650 ml

Serving size1 bowl, about 650 ml
Caloriesapproximately 630 kcal
Carbohydrates47 g
Protein41 g
Fat30 g
Fibre7 g
Sodiumapproximately 1120 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains crustaceans, dairy and eggs. Buy shrimp cold from a reputable supplier; keep peeled tails at 4 °C or colder, prevent shell contact with ready-to-eat food, and use the food thermometer to check 63 °C. Fully boil eggs. Chill leftovers within two hours and heat thoroughly before reuse.

Closing

Result: A substantial Arequipa soup with shrimp, potatoes, corn, beans, cheese and evaporated milk added near the end.
Decisive control: Rice or potato absorbed liquid during standing. Heat gently while stirring and serve promptly rather than boiling it down further.