Paraguay

Arroz con Leche is the Hispanic rice pudding of rice slow-cooked in sweetened milk perfumed with cinnamon and vanilla.

A Paraguayan communal feast tradition of large bone-in beef cuts—primarily ribs, flank, and matambre—grilled low and slow over a bed of hardwood embers on an open parrilla, seasoned with nothing but coarse salt.

A Paraguayan chicken broth soup defined by small spherical dumplings made from cornmeal and fresh cheese, cooked directly in the simmering stock until they firm into tender, cohesive balls.

A fresh pork sausage of Spanish lineage, seasoned with garlic and herbs and grilled, served as a Paraguayan asado staple.

A small, chewy bun or ring made from cassava starch or flour, fresh mild cheese, eggs, and fat — baked at high heat until golden outside with a hollow, elastic interior — the everyday bread of Paraguay.

A baked Paraguayan casserole made from grated or blended fresh corn kernels, queso Paraguay, eggs, onion, and lard, producing a soft, custardy, savory loaf distinct from Sopa Paraguaya by its use of fresh corn rather than cornmeal.

A Paraguayan hand-formed cassava-flour bun — cheesy and egg-enriched in the dough — enclosing a seasoned ground beef sofrito filling, baked in a hot oven or traditional tatakua clay oven.

A Paraguayan breakfast drink made by caramelizing dried yerba maté leaves directly over an open flame until they char and smoke, then steeping the caramelized herb in hot milk and sweetening with sugar.

A dense, hard peanut brittle set into a brick shape, bound by caramelized sugar or molasses — Paraguay's iconic street confection.

Kivevé is a Paraguayan thick porridge of pureed andai pumpkin cooked with cornmeal, fresh cheese, and sugar, eaten as a sweet-savory side or dessert.

A hearty Paraguayan one-pot stew of hominy (white maize) slow-cooked with pork, squash and vegetables into a thick, creamy mixture.

A slow-cooked hominy (white maize) porridge sweetened with molasses or sugar, eaten as a dessert or breakfast in Paraguay and neighbouring countries.

A thick Guaraní cornmeal porridge cooked with cheese and milk, made in savoury or sweet versions in Paraguay.

A thin Paraguayan griddle flatbread of pre-Columbian Guaraní origin, made by rubbing lard and fresh cheese into cassava starch, pressed into rounds, and cooked on a dry skillet until crisp and golden.

A crisp Paraguayan griddle cake made from cassava starch and fresh cheese bound with fat, cooked flat in a pan as a daily breakfast bread.

A Paraguayan fried patty of seasoned minced/shredded beef bound with boiled mashed cassava (mandioca) and herbs, shaped into oval cakes and fried.

A traditional Paraguayan Guaraní chicken soup simmered with onion and spices until thick and hearty.

A dense, savory baked cornmeal cake flavored with cheese, onion, and milk, characteristic of Paraguayan cuisine.

A cold-water infusion of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) drunk communally through a filtering metal straw (bombilla) from a shared gourd or vessel, characteristically enhanced with fresh medicinal herbs (yuyos) muddled into the cold water.

A hearty Paraguayan chicken soup thickened with small cornmeal-and-cheese dumplings simmered in a yellow broth.