flipQuinoa lawa — thick quinoa porridge
Quinoa lawa — thick quinoa porridge
Why this dish? Eulalia is known only as the mother of a child baptized in Toroca: a common woman of the highlands. Quinoa lawa was the everyday porridge, the one a mother would simmer to feed a household with almost nothing — the most likely dish from her pot.
A creamy porridge of ground quinoa, thickened until it coats the spoon, seasoned with a little highland herb and, on good days, a drizzle of fat. The belly fills, the cold retreats.
Come sit by the fire, hija, the night is cold in Toroca. I wash the quinoa seven times to remove the bitterness that God put on it, then I stir it in water until it thickens like milk from the sky. A pinch of salt from the mine, a sprig of paico, and we all eat from the same pot, thanking the Virgin and the earth that do not forget us. It is not a lords' meal, but it has kept my children on their feet.
- •Quinoa — two handfuls (base, starch)
- •Spring water — as needed (cooking liquid)
- •Mine salt — a pinch (seasoning)
- •Paico (Andean epazote) — a sprig (aromatic and digestive herb)
- •Llama or sheep fat — a little, on feast days (fat)
Quinoa lawa — thick quinoa porridge
A creamy porridge of ground quinoa, thickened until it coats the spoon, seasoned with a little highland herb and, on good days, a drizzle of fat. The belly fills, the cold retreats.
Why this dish? Eulalia is known only as the mother of a child baptized in Toroca: a common woman of the highlands. Quinoa lawa was the everyday porridge, the one a mother would simmer to feed a household with almost nothing — the most likely dish from her pot.
Come sit by the fire, hija, the night is cold in Toroca. I wash the quinoa seven times to remove the bitterness that God put on it, then I stir it in water until it thickens like milk from the sky. A pinch of salt from the mine, a sprig of paico, and we all eat from the same pot, thanking the Virgin and the earth that do not forget us. It is not a lords' meal, but it has kept my children on their feet.
Ingredients (period version)
- Quinoa — two handfuls (base, starch)
- Spring water — as needed (cooking liquid)
- Mine salt — a pinch (seasoning)
- Paico (Andean epazote) — a sprig (aromatic and digestive herb)
- Llama or sheep fat — a little, on feast days (fat)
Ingredients
- Quinoa — 150 g (base, starch)
- Water — 1.2 L (cooking liquid)
- Salt — 1 tsp (seasoning)
- Oregano or a little fresh cilantro — 1 tsp (replaces paico)
- Oil or butter — 1 tbsp (fat)
Method
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water, rubbing between your hands, until the water runs clear (this removes the bitter saponin).
- Pour the quinoa into cold salted water and bring gently to a boil.
- Simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
- At the end of cooking, add the herb and fat, mix, and serve very hot in bowls.
How it was made : On the highlands, quinoa was often ground on a stone (batán) before cooking to save fire time, a scarce resource at 3,500 m. Lawa referred to any thick porridge; it was thickened according to what was available: quinoa, year-old fava beans, or chuño flour.
The contemporary twist : Served steaming hot with a poached egg on top and a drizzle of herb oil, lawa becomes a savory cold-weather porridge that is entirely contemporary.
Eulalia Bermúdez · Charactorium
