Che Acocinakuaa

Back from the fabulous land of the free, and back in work mode! I've been working almost every day at the Puesto de Salud, and catching up with the people I missed during my 3-week hiatus. Also getting ready for the big patronal festival here in Caazapa next week. 

But when I'm not working, chances are I'm cooking! The biggest compliment I think I have recieved so far is “Nde recocinakuaa!” which means “You know how to cook!” One of my favorite activities to do in my site is cook with people. I have learned how to make lots of interesting Paraguayan dishes from señoras in my community like vori vori (stewed chicken with corn based dumplings), sopa paraguaya (cheezy cornbread), chipa, chipa guasu (another type of cornbread made with whole kernel corn), tortillas (dont think mexican torillas, more like fry bread). In return I try to teach them new dishes that they can make using ingredients that are locally available. Most of the time I try to create dishes that are healthier and less meat focused than what they usually eat here, incorporating more legumes and vegetables. Ive been trying out my many of my dishes on the nurses at the Puesto de Salud since they are generally pretty adventurous eaters, but I have also cooked meals for my neighbors, my host family and others. My hope is tho start up a cooking club and bring my most popular recipies to a wider audience.

Fun things I have cooked up to surprise, amuse and satisfy my neighbors and friends include:

Chili- Generally people here only know two ways to eat beans, either stewed with beef, or “bean salad” which is served cold with tiny cut up veggies with either a mayo or lemon based dressing. I have made a simple chili with tomatoes, peppers onions and garlic seasoned with oregano and cumin for many of my neighbors and friends. Strangely when I prepare it for people here they are always surprised that I put tomato paste in it...apparently quite a novel concept. To make it a little more “paraguayan” I usually add a little queso paraguayo (fresh cheese) at the end..people love it!

Lentils- I have busted out my favorite curried lentil recipe for my contact once. She loved it. I am a little leery to try it out on too many other paraguayans since many have never even seen a lentil or tasted curry.

Soy meat- This versitile product is found all over Paraguay and is known in the US as “textured vegetable protien-TVP” which sounds far less appetizing. I love throwing it into food and then asking PYans if they think it tastes like meat (and they usually say it does). Cooking with soy meat is incredibly affordabe compared to beef and much healthier. Empanadas de soja are a big hit as well as added to tomato sauce for pasta. Even when I can't convince someone to make something all soy, I compromise and show them how to stretch their budget and make it half-and-half for anything they would usually use ground beef for.

Frittatas- Especially for someone who raises hens, frittatas are a hit. Take any vegetable, sautee it, throw eggs and cheese in and bake it. What could be simpler? I made my uncle Johns swiss chard and potato frittata for the nurses at the Puesto a few months ago and you'd think I made it yesterday for how much they still talk about how yummy it was.

Bread- Fresh bread is almost impossible to come by here in PY especially in the campo. Most bread products are dry (like little cracker balls) but people really enjoy fresh bread if you show them how to make it. I especially like making whole wheat bread using alfrecho (the wheat berry part usually discarded when making white flour- used as a base for pig food here in PY). I usually wait until AFTER they've tasted it and declared it tasty before telling them its got pig food in it.

CAKE- Who doesn't like cake? I know its not the healthiest thing in the world but its a great way to throw in some more veggies and fruits (banana bread, carrot cake etc). I am actually going to try to make squash cake for the first time today from fresh squash. We will see how it turns out.

And there are so many other things, like pizza, fresh juice, tarta (all kinds of savory pies, mostly veggie and cheese filled) pesto (basil in general really. It grows like wildfire here and people have no idea how tasty it is!).... I could go on and on. Basically I took my love of good healthy food to PY and am making it part of my job. PC is pretty cool right? Oh yeah and my other favorite compliment about my cooking? “You can get married now you know how to cook ofr your future husband!” Not exactly what I had in mind but I'll take 'em where I can get 'em!