Called, by some, the ‘National Dish of Peru’ but perhaps falling behind Ceviche these days, it is certainly a favoured (and flavoured!) dish of the Arequipa Region of Peru.
We, however first encountered it at ‘Pio Pio 8’ in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan. As usual (!!!) I have ‘reverse engineered’ this and taken liberties with tradition by including our products and also adjusting ingredients to what’s available in our local stores and some that I just prefer! Note that ‘Paneer’ makes an excellent substitute if you are unable to find ‘Queso Fresco’. They are both fresh, unripened kinds of cheese, that don’t tend to melt at ‘soup’ temperatures. We find ‘squeaky’ Halloumi cheese even more to our liking!
There IS some spicy heat here, but not too much. IF you really don’t like heat you can substitute a SOOC EVOO or Gourmet Garlic or another flavour of your choice and leave out the hot sauce.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp SOOC Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, mashed & minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp Sinai Gourmet Poblano Original Hot Sauce (or Maple) (available at SOOC)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp SOOC Oregano White Balsamic
6 cups shrimp or fish stock (or other broth and 2 Tbsp fish sauce)
½ cup white rice, uncooked (Arborio will make it very creamy – yum, but any will do)
2.5 lb. yellow potatoes, peeled & cubed small
1 cup corn (frozen is fine)
1 cup green peas (frozen is fine)
1.5 cups evaporated milk (1 can)
1 can tomato sauce
1.5 pounds small shrimp, precooked, thawed
1 cup queso fresco, diced (if not available use halloumi, paneer or mini bocconcini )
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes (as you like) avocado, cilantro, parsley, freshly squeezed lime juice), some fresh bread wouldn’t hurt either (to wipe the bowl clean)!

Optional

Top it with a fried egg and dinner’s all done!
1 tablespoon SOOC Olive Oil (or as needed)
1 egg – PER SERVING!! (optional and VERY filling!)

Directions

Heat the SOOC Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, dried turmeric, paprika & oregano and sauté until golden. Add Sinai Hot Sauce & tomato paste and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the SOOC Oregano White Balsamic and scrape up the bottom of your pot (the vinegar makes it easy) then add the shrimp stock, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, add rice and potatoes, simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the corn & green peas, tomato sauce and condensed milk, bring back to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, cheese. If needed, season with salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes then take off the heat. Serve with garnishes or…
OPTIONALLY: If you want, top with an egg. Heat a tablespoon of oil (SOOC Baklouti or other) in a skillet and fry the eggs, one by one, sunny side up. Ladle Chupe into bowl and top with a fried egg and serve.