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Authentic Kivevé Recipe Paraguay, South America
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Imagine a dish which can be served as a hearty breakfast, makes a great side dish to grilled steaks and roasts, and is also a delicious dessert. This, in short, is the Paraguayan kivevé — a humble, but also a versatile combination of pumpkin, cornmeal, and fresh cheese, whose consistency is similar to porridge or purée. The preparation starts with peeling, deseeding, and dicing a pumpkin, which is then cooked in water until tender, and smashed into a smoother or a coarser purée. A finely chopped onion is sautéed in a separate pan and mixed with the pumpkin purée, the liquid the pumpkin has been cooked in or milk, sugar, and salt. Next, the cornmeal is added while constantly stirring to retain a smooth texture, and the mixture is cooked over low heat for 10 minutes. The final touch is to add fresh cheese and some butter or margarine, which give kivevé a rich, milky taste. As a breakfast or a side dish, kivevé is usually served hot,... Read more
Cooking tips
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pumpkin
Typically, kivevé is prepared with a pumpkin called andaí in the indigenous Paraguayan language, Guaraní. This kind of pumpkin can be elongated or spherical, has a sweet flavor and compact flesh, and its inside has a bright orange color. It can easily be replaced with butternut or winter squash, and the procedure is always the same: the pumpkin must be peeled, deseeded, cut into smaller pieces, and ... Read more -
cheese
Fresh cheese is an essential ingredient which contributes to the creaminess of kivevé, and the only rule is — add it at the very end. Ricotta cheese, farmer’s cheese or any other mild and crumbled cheese variety can also be used. -
fat
To give kivevé a richer flavor, some butter or margarine should be added towards the end of cooking and stirred until melted. -
cornmeal
The type of cornmeal used for kivevé is called harina de maíz, and its consistency is halfway between cornstarch and polenta. The most important thing is to add it gradually, so the kivevé does not become lumpy. It takes around 10 minutes to cook the cornmeal, which should be done over low heat while stirring constantly. -
liquid
Kivevé can be prepared with water, milk, or vegetable stock. Milk can also be served on the side and poured into kivevé to achieve the desired density.
Recipe variations
Classic Kivevé
PREP 10min
COOK 45min
READY IN 55min
The following kivevé recipe offers a classic approach to this dish. The pumpkin is boiled and puréed, mixed with fried onion, and cooked with cornmeal, while cheese is added at the very end.
Ingredients
Classic Kivevé
1 kg pumpkin
3 cups water
2 tbsp oil
150 g fresh white cheese
2 cups cornmeal
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tsp sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp coarse salt
Preparation
1
Classic Kivevé
Step 1/6
Peel the pumpkin, cut it into smaller pieces and cook in 3 cups of water until it becomes soft.
Step 2/6
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and fry the onions.
Step 3/6
Put the pumpkin and the water it has been cooked in into a blender, and process into a puree.
Step 4/6
Join the pumpkin puree with the fried onion. Slowly add milk, sugar, salt, and cornmeal.
Step 5/6
Cook for 10 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly.
Step 6/6
In the end, add shredded cheese, remove from heat, and serve.
Other Variations
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