Eating these dishes reminded me of eating chocolate mousse dessert from America. It is so rich and dense that you only need to eat a bite or two to feel statisfied.
Everyone likes to say that they make the best sopa paraguaya or chipa gauzu! It might remind you of how everyone in the United States likes to think that they make the best chocolate chip cookies. People might have slight variations as to what special ingredients they put in to make their dish have extra flavor. For example, some people will add onions or peppers for more taste.
However, both dishes are made in a relatively similar way. You start by sauteeing your special ingredients, like the onions or peppers in oil on the stove. Then you whip your dairy products, such as the cheese and milk with eggs and mix in your special ingredients and corn or corn flour. All of these items then go into a pan and are baked in the oven. Some people even line the bottom of their pans with banana leaves before putting the dish in the oven.
Two very popular crops in Paraguay are corn (maize in Spanish) and cassava (manioc in Spanish). These crops grow in all parts of the country because the climate of Paraguay is suitable for these types of plants! This is an example of how the environment directly affects diet. These plants are so abundant, so they are used in many of the traditional dishes! Both corn and cassava can grow in all parts of the country, meaning that they are easy to get hold of as ingredients for cooking .
