Name: Lawa de maíz
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 61 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 650 g fresh starchy choclo kernels, removed from cobs. Net kernels from mature fresh Peruvian-type corn; 170 g shelled broad beans, skins removed if tough. Fresh or previously thawed; 320 g white potatoes, peeled and in 2 cm cubes. For soup structure; 1500 ml water, measured. 250 ml for blender; 1250 ml in pot; 90 g red onion, finely diced. For base; 25 g ají mirasol paste, prepared from dried yellow ají. For base; 25 ml vegetable oil, measured. For onion and chilli; 3 g fine salt, measured. For whole soup; 14 g fresh huacatay leaves, washed. Blend with choclo; Peruvian black mint herb; 150 g Peruvian fresh white cheese, crumbled. Use a pasteurised product; 100 g beaten whole egg, approximately 2 eggs, without shells. For thick soup finish; 10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped. For finished bowls

Yield 4 portions

Prep time 23 minutes

Cook time 38 minutes

Passive time 0 minutes

Total time 61 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Lawa de maíz — Peruvian home recipe

In the Cusco region, lawa describes a thick soup in which ground or blended grain provides its texture. For this maize preparation, the important grain is fresh starchy choclo, not fine dried cornflour. Broad beans and potato form the vegetable base, while the Andean herb huacatay contributes a recognisable aromatic note.

Grind the kernels with a small measured part of the water and the huacatay rather than adding the whole liquid at once. Once the corn mixture is poured into the pot, stir across the base frequently; raw maize starch catches easily and the soup thickens markedly as it cooks. A spoon should leave a brief trail across the surface, though the result should still be ladleable.

Fresh cheese and beaten eggs occur in documented Cusco household versions of maize lawa. Here they are stirred into the hot soup and heated thoroughly rather than presented as raw garnish. The result is a substantial, meat-free soup, not a thin broth or a sweet creamed-corn preparation.

Ingredients

Soup and vegetables

650 g fresh starchy choclo kernels, removed from cobs. Net kernels from mature fresh Peruvian-type corn
170 g shelled broad beans, skins removed if tough. Fresh or previously thawed
320 g white potatoes, peeled and in 2 cm cubes. For soup structure
1500 ml water, measured. 250 ml for blender; 1250 ml in pot
90 g red onion, finely diced. For base
25 g ají mirasol paste, prepared from dried yellow ají. For base
25 ml vegetable oil, measured. For onion and chilli
3 g fine salt, measured. For whole soup

Aromatic finish

14 g fresh huacatay leaves, washed. Blend with choclo; Peruvian black mint herb
150 g Peruvian fresh white cheese, crumbled. Use a pasteurised product
100 g beaten whole egg, approximately 2 eggs, without shells. For thick soup finish
10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped. For finished bowls

Method

Grind the maize and huacatay.Blend all 650 g fresh choclo kernels with 14 g huacatay leaves and 250 ml of the listed water in short pulses until the kernels form a coarse wet paste. The mixture has tiny maize fragments but no intact hard kernels.
Soften the onion and chilli.Warm 25 ml vegetable oil over medium heat in a heavy pot. Add the 90 g onion and cook for 5 minutes; stir in 25 g ají mirasol paste and cook for 2 more minutes without scorching. The onion is translucent and the chilli mixture smells cooked rather than raw.
Cook the potato and broad beans.Add the remaining 1250 ml water, 320 g potato cubes, 170 g broad beans and 3 g salt. Simmer gently for 16 minutes, stirring the bottom once or twice. The potato is nearly tender and the beans yield when pressed.
Cook the ground maize.Whisk the ground maize and huacatay into the simmering soup gradually, then cook for 12 minutes on low heat, stirring the base of the pot frequently with a flat spoon. The maize no longer tastes floury and the soup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Set the eggs and add cheese.While stirring, pour in the 100 g beaten egg in a thin stream, then add 150 g crumbled pasteurised fresh cheese. Simmer for 3 minutes, checking the hottest thick part carefully. Fine strands of cooked egg appear throughout and the cheese is warmed but not rubbery. The egg-containing soup must reach at least 71 °C throughout.
Finish the warm bowls.Stir once more to release any thickened soup from the base, ladle into four deep bowls and scatter the 10 g parsley across the portions. Each serving has a thick yet spoonable maize base with visible beans and potato pieces.

Practical

Success points

Do not confuse ground fresh choclo with dried polenta or cornflour. Stir thoroughly after adding the maize to prevent scorching and raw pockets.

Practical guidance

Fresh choclo is normally starchier than supermarket sweetcorn and gives the soup its particular body. Using sweetcorn produces a sweeter, looser result, so it should be treated as an adaptation rather than identical maize. Huacatay is not interchangeable with ordinary mint, whose aroma is different. Hold the soup hot if serving later; transfer any leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly at 4 °C or colder, then use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74 °C. Stir during reheating because the maize thickens in the fridge; add only a documented measured splash of water from a separately reserved portion if planning a looser texture.

Control points

The pot catches at the bottomThe ground corn was added too quickly or stirred too infrequently. Reduce the heat and sweep the pan base constantly.
The soup tastes of raw maizeThe ground kernels did not simmer long enough. Keep stirring on low heat until the starch has cooked and the texture is even.

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

Serving size1 of 4 equal plated portions
Calories483 kcal
Carbohydrate59 g
Protein19 g
Fat19 g
Fibre10 g
Sodium550 mg

Allergens and food safety

Milk (fresh cheese) and egg; check local packaged ají and cheese labels. Maintain separation between raw meat or fish, clean equipment and ready-to-eat ingredients; wash hands and tools after contact with raw animal food. Chill perishable food promptly in shallow covered containers at 4 °C or below and within 2 hours; avoid prolonged room-temperature standing. Cooked leftovers, when permitted by the recipe-specific guidance, must be reheated to 74 °C. The egg-containing soup must reach at least 71 °C throughout.

Closing

Result: Fresh ground choclo thickens this Cusco-style soup while broad beans, potato, huacatay, beaten egg and fresh cheese give it body and an aromatic finish.
Decisive control: Do not confuse ground fresh choclo with dried polenta or cornflour.