Name: Patasca
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 162 min
Total time: 187 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 600 g cooked mote maize — drained; unsalted food-grade ready-cooked kernels; 400 g boneless beef shin — cubed; 320 g pork shoulder — cubed; 250 g pre-cleaned beef tripe — blanched and cut into thin strips; 2200 ml water — for the soup; use the measured total; 7 g salt — 5 g initially, 2 g after cooking; 180 g red onion — diced; 16 g garlic — minced; 35 g ají panca paste; 25 g sunflower oil; 3 g ground cumin; 2 g dried oregano; 18 g fresh mint — finely chopped; 20 g spring onion — thinly sliced

Yield 4 servings

Prep time 25 minutes

Cook time 162 minutes

Passive time 0 minutes

Total time 187 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Patasca with mote, beef, pork and tripe

Patasca is a substantial Peruvian highland soup built around mote, large hominy-like maize kernels that open and soften during cooking. Versions across the Andes include different meats and, often, tripe; the broth acquires body from long simmering rather than from flour.

Already cooked, drained mote keeps the home schedule manageable while the meats simmer until tender. Beef, pork shoulder and thoroughly cleaned tripe share the pot with onion, garlic and ají panca. The tripe should become soft enough to chew comfortably, never rubbery.

A generously sized pot is important because the maize continues to take up liquid. The soup should move freely around the spoon. Keep the broth at an active but not violent simmer so it does not boil down too fast; the measured water should keep the soup spoonable without large, unmeasured additions.

Ingredients

Soup meats and maize

600 g cooked mote maize — drained; unsalted food-grade ready-cooked kernels
400 g boneless beef shin — cubed
320 g pork shoulder — cubed
250 g pre-cleaned beef tripe — blanched and cut into thin strips
2200 ml water — for the soup; use the measured total
7 g salt — 5 g initially, 2 g after cooking

Aromatic base

180 g red onion — diced
16 g garlic — minced
35 g ají panca paste
25 g sunflower oil
3 g ground cumin
2 g dried oregano
18 g fresh mint — finely chopped
20 g spring onion — thinly sliced

Method

Simmer meat and cleaned tripe.In the large stockpot cover beef, pork and pre-cleaned tripe with the 2200 ml water and 5 g salt; gently simmer for 105 minutes, removing foam. Beef and pork yield to a fork, and tripe begins to soften. Beef and pork must reach 63 °C with a three-minute rest; tripe must be fully cooked and obtained properly cleaned.
Add the cooked mote.Add the drained cooked mote and continue simmering for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. The maize kernels are hot and split easily without chalky centres.
Make the ají dressing.In a frying pan warm oil and cook onion, garlic, ají panca and cumin for 10 minutes until soft and fragrant. The onion is soft and the ají no longer smells raw.
Season the finished broth.Add the cooked aromatic base, oregano and remaining 2 g salt to the soup and simmer a further 12 minutes. The broth is lightly coloured and the meats are uniformly tender.
Serve the patasca.Stir in mint and spring onion and ladle into four deep bowls while piping hot. Mote, meat and tripe remain visible in a freely flowing broth. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers.

Practical

Success points

Cook the tripe and meat patiently before giving the pre-cooked mote its final simmer.

Practical guidance

The quantity is based on unsalted ready-cooked mote, not dry kernels. Salted packaged mote or ají paste may raise the sodium level above the estimate. If starting with dry maize, its long preliminary soaking and cooking must be scheduled separately; the dry-to-cooked conversion is not interchangeable gram for gram. Use thoroughly cleaned tripe from a reputable source. Extended simmering is important for texture, and beef and pork should be cooked fully rather than judged by their outside colour. Divide leftover soup into shallow containers for rapid cooling. Refrigerate within two hours and use within three to four days; bring all components to 74 °C when reheating.

Control points

The tripe stays rubberyThe simmer ended before the connective tissue softened. Continue at a gentle simmer rather than using violent boiling.
The broth becomes too starchyThe cooked mote has absorbed liquid during storage. Loosen gently with water before reheating thoroughly.

Nutrition per 1 of 4 servings

Serving size1 of 4 servings
Calories615 kcal
Carbohydrate40 g
Protein48 g
Fat29 g
Fibre6 g
Sodium900 mg

Allergens and food safety

No wheat, milk, egg, peanut or fish is intentionally added; check supplied ají paste for declared allergens. Buy properly pre-cleaned tripe and handle raw meat separately from garnishes. Fully cook all meats and tripe; reheat leftovers to 74 °C.

Closing

What to expect: Large soft maize kernels and tender mixed meats sit in an aromatic hot broth.
Key control: Cook the tripe and meat patiently before giving the pre-cooked mote its final simmer.