Locro de Papa

Method

Heat 40 ml olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Toast 1 tsp cumin seeds dry first — you want them fragrant and cracking slightly — then add finely chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent and the raw garlic bite softens, about 4 minutes. The cumin oils will coat the aromatics.

Toast the dried chilli peppers in a dry pan for 90 seconds until they darken and smell peppery, not burnt. Split them open, shake out the seeds, and soak in 100 ml warm water for 3 minutes. Blend to a thick paste — the soaking hydrates the flesh and makes blending easier. Press this paste through a fine sieve if you want silkier heat; otherwise, add it rough to the pot. Fry the paste with the onion mixture for 2 minutes. The oil will deepen in colour and lose its raw chilli rawness. This andean-cuisine base, built on layers of heat and umami, is what carries the dish.

Cut 600 g potatoes into 3 cm chunks — uniform size means even cooking. Add to the pot with 1000 ml vegetable stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer. Cook for 25–30 minutes until the potatoes collapse when nudged with a spoon. The broth will turn starchy and cloudy as the potato walls break down into the liquid.

Remove from heat and partially mash the potatoes using the back of a wooden spoon. You're not aiming for smooth purée — leave plenty of chunks. The starch from broken potatoes will thicken the broth naturally without becoming gluey, creating the dense, nourishing texture andean-cuisine demands. Taste and adjust salt.

Ladle into bowls. Top each with crumbled queso fresco and torn fresh mint leaves. The acid and coolness of both cut through the starchy richness and lift the chilli heat.