Porotos Granados

Porotos granados is a Chilean stew of fresh white beans, sweet corn and pumpkin, flavoured with basil and a little sugar. It is a late-summer dish, made when fresh beans and corn are in season at the same time. Chileans eat it as a main course, and it is a familiar summer dish across the country. Bean and corn stews are cooked in several parts of the Andes, but the Chilean version is defined by fresh beans and sweet basil.

What it really is

Onion is softened in oil, then fresh beans, cubed pumpkin and kernels cut from the cob go into the pot with water. The stew simmers gently until the beans are tender and the pumpkin has broken down into a thick, sweet broth. Basil is added toward the end, and a little sugar balances the sweetness of the squash and corn. Home versions differ in how thick they are and how much liquid they keep, so the texture changes from kitchen to kitchen.

How it's served

• Hot, in a deep bowl, as a main course.
• Often finished with a few basil leaves and served with bread on the side.
• In late summer, when the beans and corn are fresh. The fresh produce is the point of the dish, so it is seasonal.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient, fresh white beans, and say that the stew also contains corn and pumpkin.
• Say whether the stew is made with meat or meat stock, since recipes vary. If it is made without meat, say so clearly.
• The standard stew contains no declarable allergen. Flag any bread, cream or cheese served with it as a separate item.
• If you make it outside the summer months, say which beans and corn you used.