Name: Chupe de Camarones (Arequipa Shrimp Chowder)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: 250 g Prawns, peeled and deveined; 3 cup Fish Stock, warm; 200 g Potato, peeled and cut into chunks; 2 tbsp Rice, rinsed; ½ cup Sweet Corn, kernels or small cob pieces; ⅓ cup Green Peas, fresh or frozen; ½ cup Onion, finely chopped; 2 clove Garlic, minced; 1 tbsp Ají Amarillo Paste, stirred smooth; ½ cup Evaporated Milk, unsweetened; 60 g Queso Fresco, crumbled; 1 Egg, lightly beaten; ½ tsp Dried Oregano, lightly crushed; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil, for sautéing; 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, freshly ground if possible

Chupe de Camarones (Arequipa Shrimp Chowder)

1 hrtotal

40 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

Add to your week

Method

Heat neutral oil in a soup pot. Add onion and cook until soft, then add garlic and ají amarillo paste and cook for 1 minute.
1 min
Add fish stock, potato, rice, sweet corn, dried oregano, salt, and ground black pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–22 minutes until the potato and rice are tender.
20–22 min
Add green peas and prawns. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the prawns just turn opaque.
3–4 min
Lower the heat and stir in evaporated milk and queso fresco. Do not boil hard after adding the milk.
Slowly drizzle in the beaten egg while stirring gently so it forms soft ribbons.
Finish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

How to tell it's done

The broth should be creamy and lightly thick, the potatoes tender, and the prawns juicy.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding dairy so the broth stays creamy.

What to serve it with

Serve as a filling lunch or dinner soup with extra coriander leaves on top.

Common mistakes

The milk curdles and the soup looks split.: Drop the heat to its lowest before the evaporated milk and cheese go in, and never let it boil after. Acid from the ají and a hard boil together will break the dairy in seconds.
The prawns are rubbery.: They need three or four minutes and go in near the end. Chupe simmers for a while, but the prawns should meet the pot only once everything else is already tender.

Substitutions

Prawns — Use large shrimp if prawns are unavailable; avoid overcooking either one.
Queso Fresco — Use a mild fresh cheese if queso fresco is unavailable.

Storing and reheating

Best the day it is made. It keeps two days in the fridge; reheat gently without boiling or the milk splits. Do not freeze — the potato goes mealy and the dairy separates on thawing.

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Ingredients