paraguay
PARAGUAYAN
Cuisine and Beverage
BY DIDHITI GHOSH*
T
he unique gastronomy of a region is a harbour
to tourist attraction, and plenty of South
American countries are celebrated for their
vibrant cuisine, though Paraguay seems to fall by the
wayside. Here are the six most delicious traditional
cuisines and drinks that the traveller needs to try in
Paraguay.
Yerba Mate and Tereré: Paraguay’s most
quintessential export, tereré is a bitter herbal tea,
an intensely caff einated infusion, and a kind of
yerba mate brewed with cold water. One can
spot locals carting around thermoses fi lled with
chilled water as well as a guampa (a spherical
mug) and a bombilla (a silver straw).
Some other drinks to look out for are pulp
naranja (orange drink), mosto helado (extracted from
cane sugar) and cerveza (beer). The local beer is
Brahma or Pilsen.
Chipá: There are many diff erent variations
of chipá a kind of bread roll made from manioc
(also known as cassava), eggs and cheese.
Diff erent types include chipá manduvi, made
with corn fl our and peanuts, and chipá guazú,
which is more like a fl at cake made with milk, fresh
corn and cheese and served with asado (barbecued
meats).
Borí borí: Paraguay’s answer to warm
chicken soup, borí borí is a thick broth made
with the fowl, as well as bacon fat, rich tomato,
vegetables like carrots and celery, fl ecks of salty
queso paraguayo and plenty of parsley. This
soup is thought to ward off colds and is often
served alongside grilled meat.
34 • PARAGUAY 2019
Kivevé: This semi-sweet dish sits
somewhere between the main course and a
dessert. Made from a juicy type of pumpkin
(known as andai in Paraguay) bound together
with corn fl our, Paraguayan cheese, milk and
sugar, it has a creamy texture and is served
lukewarm.
Mbejú: A staple of Paraguayan cuisine,
mbejú (literally meaning ‘cake’ in Guaraní) is
a starchy cake-like patty made with mandioca
fl our, crumbled cheese, pork fat, eggs and milk
and then fried in hot oil. It is served alongside
mate cocido (a bitter herbal tea) or coff ee.
Pira caldo: This hearty fi sh soup, fi rst
devised after the War, is thought to enhance
sexual prowess. It’s made with local river fi sh,
like mandi’y and tare’y, which have a meaty
texture and salty bite. The fl avour is enhanced
by vegetables fried in beef or pork fat, as well
as onion, tomato, bell pepper and spices.
* Author is Bureau
Chief (Kolkata),
Indian
dian Observer Post