A hearty Andean soup with a thick, comforting body: well-cooked pearled barley, tender beef, and a broth that turns creamy thanks to yellow potato and squash. A home-style base built on ají panca and vegetables you can taste. Finish with oregano and mint for a fresh lift that ties it all together.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Rinse the pearled barley in a colander until the water runs clearer. Cut the beef into medium cubes and chop the onion, celery, leek, and carrot. Peel the yellow potatoes and cut the squash into large cubes so they give body without disappearing too fast.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot and brown the beef with part of the salt and half of the black pepper for 5 minutes, until the edges are golden. Do not move it too much: you want flavor stuck to the bottom, not boiled beef.
Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, until it looks soft and smells sweet. Add the ground garlic, ají panca paste, cumin, and the remaining black pepper; cook for 3 more minutes, until the seasoning base turns dark and glossy.
Add the water, pearled barley, celery, and leek. Scrape the bottom of the pot well to release the browned bits, cover halfway, and cook for 25 minutes, until the barley starts to open and the beef feels more tender when pierced.
Add the carrot, squash, yellow potato, and most of the remaining salt. Cook for 15 minutes, until the potato is soft and the squash starts rounding out the broth without turning it into a full purée.
Rub the dried oregano between your hands and add it with the mint. Cook for 3 minutes, taste, and adjust with the remaining salt if needed. The soup should be thick, but still run off the spoon.
Turn off the heat and let it rest for 3 minutes before serving. Serve hot, with plenty of creamy broth, visible pieces of beef, and the barley clearly present; that rustic texture is part of its charm.
