Catxupa

During our recent time spent away from home in Peace Corps training, I was struck by a couple of thoughts. The first being that speaking English is tremendously fun. It’s so refreshing to understand 99% of what people are staying to and around you. Being able to share stories and tease with other volunteers made me feel like myself in a way that I haven’t in, say, six months or so. It was very nice.

The second thought was that each volunteer in Cape Verde, and no doubt the world over, has a completely unique experience. It was interesting to hear people’s tales from their respective sites, each one so different from the other that there was virtually no comparison. Some Cape Verde PCV’s live on mountains, some on beaches, some in barren deserts, some near snoozing volcanoes, and others in busy city centers. Our lifestyles vary with location- namely rural vs. urban, but are also greatly affected by our job assignments. Some volunteers are busy working till late in the evening on micro-credit projects while others have more, shall we say, flexible schedules. Some round up baby turtles, some round up screaming toddlers, some round up hormonal teens, and others round up mutts in order to castrate them. Some teach computer skills, some hug trees, some give business advice, and some chat it up with pig farmers.

The differences between Cape Verde PCV’s are so great that it may leave you wondering what we have in common. The answer is this: Catxupa.

Catxupa (pronounced Ka-choo-puh) is the national dish of Cape Verde and can be found, although in slightly different forms, on each of the 9 islands. It is made principally of corn and beans and is a hearty meal that some Cape Verdeans eat 7 days a week. Its preparation, like many things here, is hard labor and is quite lengthy. Here’s a quick how-to in case you find yourself with some time on your hands this weekend and a hankering for 500% your daily nutritional value of fiber.

1. Fill a giant mortar with dried corn. Beat it with a pole as hard as you can for 30 minutes – 1 hour depending on your personal beating ability. Invite a friend to join you. Don’t discredit young girls. They may look puny, but they can cutxi the heck out of some midjo.



2. When the corn has been sufficiently beaten, each kernel should be separated into three parts: the large part for catxupa, the germ (fed to animals), and the tough, clear skin.



3. Next, separate the lightweight germ and the skin from the heavier grains by filling a shallow woven tray with all three parts. Flip the corn mixture upward and blow when it is mid air. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Try not to pass out.



4. Boil the corn (which by now looks like hominy) along with dried beans over a wood-burning flame for about 5 hours. Stay close to the kitchen in order to add more fuel to the fire when needed.



5. Add seasonings, meat, and vegetables that suit your style. Popular choices include: kale, potatoes, pork skins, and tripe. No catxupa is complete until you’ve added a hand-full of salt.



6. Finally, enjoy! This soupy catxupa is usually served at dinner. Drain off the liquid and save the left-overs for breakfast the next day. Refried catxupa is especially tasty with a diced onion and an egg sunny-side-up.

Ask a Cape Verdean neighbor, and they’re sure to confirm: there’s no such thing as too much catxupa. Pile it high.