{{Infobox prepared food , name = Pira caldo , image = Suquet de peix.jpg , image_size = 250px , caption = , alternate_name = , country =

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

, region = , creator = , course = , type =

Fish soup Fish soup is a food made by combining fish or seafood with vegetables and stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, formin ...

, served = , main_ingredient = River

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

(mandi'y, tare'y),

fat In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple est ...

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onio ...

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

es, green or red bell peppers , variations = , calories = , other = Pira caldo is a

fish soup Fish soup is a food made by combining fish or seafood with vegetables and stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, formin ...

that is part of the traditional cuisine of

. The Guarani word ''Pira'' means "fish".

History

The soup is very high in calorie content and in protein. This has its origins in the circumstances after the

Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...

(1864 to 1870). The war made food scarce, so daily meals were limited and had to be calorie and nutrient dense. Margarita Miro Ibars, a scholar of Paraguayan culinary anthropology, says "… all Guarani groups were major consumers of fish and prepared a fish meal. Fish was the basic food protein, along with game hens similar to those of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and abundant game animals… "

Ingredients

Traditionally the fish used for pira caldo are mainly smaller river fish such as the ''mandi'y'' and ''tare'y'', from the armored catfish family. Other ingredients include

es, green or red bell peppers, parsley, pepper, spices, and salt.

Preparation

The pira caldo as most popularly prepared begins with frying the vegetables in a little beef or pork fat. Then boiled water and the fish are added with salt and spices. When the fish is cooked and the soup is thick, some chopped chili pepper is added. As pira caldo is a widespread dish, there are a number of variations. One of them which constitutes a rich source of protein is prepared by running the cooked fish through a small mill. This method of preparation avoids the problem of small children choking on the bones.

References

* Aquinas, Josefina Velilla. ''Tembi'u Paraguay''. * Ibars, Margarita Miro. ''Karu Reka - Paraguayan Culinary Anthropology''. Paraguayan soups Fish dishes