Shambar is the best-known soup from Trujillo and Peru’s La Libertad region. It is a hearty preparation of wheat, legumes, and pork, flavored with Peruvian chiles, mint, and spices.
In Trujillo, shambar is especially associated with Mondays. Its deep flavor and thick texture come from slowly cooking grains, beans, and smoked meats together, making it substantial enough to serve as a full meal with toasted cancha corn, lime, and chili sauce.
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Trujillo Shambar
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 680
Ingredients
- 250 g shambar wheat or wheat berries (1½ cups)
- 100 g dried bayo beans (½ cup)
- 100 g dried zarandaja beans (½ cup)
- 100 g dried chickpeas (½ cup)
- 100 g dried split peas (½ cup)
- 100 g dried peeled fava beans (½ cup)
- 250 g pork skin, cut into pieces
- 300 g smoked pork ribs, cut into pieces
- 200 g smoked ham or serrano ham, diced
- 3.5 liters water
- 60 ml vegetable oil (¼ cup)
- 180 g chopped red onion (1 large onion)
- 20 g minced garlic (5 cloves)
- 45 g ají panca paste (3 tablespoons)
- 30 g ají amarillo paste (2 tablespoons)
- 5 g ground cumin (2 teaspoons)
- 5 g dried oregano (1 teaspoon)
- 10 g salt (2 teaspoons)
- 2 g ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
- 20 g fresh mint leaves (½ cup)
- 20 g chopped fresh cilantro (½ cup)
- 120 g toasted cancha corn (1 cup)
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
- 50 g ají limo or rocoto chili paste (⅓ cup), optional
Preparation
- Soak the legumes, place the wheat, beans, chickpeas, and split peas in separate bowls with plenty of water. Soak them for 12 to 16 hours. Soak the fava beans separately so they do not darken the broth, then rinse everything before cooking.
- Cook the pork and meats, place the pork skin in a large pot with 1 liter of water and cook it over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the smoked ribs, ham, and remaining 2.5 liters of water. Cook for 25 more minutes to develop a flavorful broth.
- Add the wheat and legumes, add the soaked wheat, beans, chickpeas, and split peas to the broth. Cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the grains do not settle at the bottom. Add the fava beans during the final 20 minutes of this stage.
- Make the flavor base, heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, ají panca paste, ají amarillo paste, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is dark, fragrant, and well combined.
- Finish the shambar, stir the flavor base into the pot and cook for 25 to 30 more minutes, until the wheat and legumes are tender and the broth is thick but still soupy. Add the mint during the final 5 minutes and the cilantro just before removing the pot from the heat.
- Serve traditionally, ladle the shambar into deep bowls, making sure every serving contains wheat, legumes, pork skin, and meat. Serve with toasted cancha corn, lime wedges, and chili sauce.
Chef’s Tips
- Soak every type of legume separately so you can better control the cooking time.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the grains; this creates a thick broth without turning the legumes mushy.
- Fresh mint is one of shambar’s defining aromas, so add it close to the end.
- Do not add too much salt at the beginning, because smoked ribs and ham can already be salty.
- Shambar should be thick and hearty but not dry. Add hot water gradually if it reduces too much.
Traditional Variations
In Trujillo, some families add hen, chicken, beef brisket, or pork chops. The beans may vary according to availability, but shambar wheat, pork meats, ají-based seasoning, and mint remain the defining elements of the dish.
How to Serve
Serve shambar piping hot in deep bowls as a main course. Add a handful of toasted cancha corn just before eating and offer lime wedges plus ají limo or rocoto chili paste on the side. In Trujillo, it is most traditionally enjoyed on Mondays.
Recommended Accompaniments
- Toasted cancha corn.
- Fresh lime wedges.
- Ají limo or rocoto chili paste.
- Chicha de jora.
- Chilled chicha morada.
A Little History
Shambar brings together Andean ingredients such as wheat and legumes with meats and techniques linked to Peru’s creole cooking traditions. It is associated with Trujillo and the highlands of La Libertad, where it became a nourishing and generous soup for the start of the week.
“Monday shambar” remains a recognizable food tradition in Trujillo, where homes and restaurants prepare it as a full meal served with cancha corn, lime, and chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shambar wheat is a type of cracked or hulled wheat traditionally used in this northern Peruvian soup. It adds a tender, lightly thickened texture to the broth. If you cannot find it, wheat berries can be used, although wheat specifically sold for shambar gives the closest traditional result.
Trujillo has a long-standing tradition of serving shambar on Mondays. Because it is rich in legumes, wheat, and meats, it is considered a complete and energizing meal for the beginning of the week. Many northern Peruvian restaurants still maintain this custom.
You can, but the dish will lose some of its traditional texture and flavor. Pork skin naturally enriches the broth with gelatin and helps give it body. For a result closer to traditional shambar, keep it along with smoked ribs and serrano or smoked ham.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a little hot water or broth because the wheat and legumes will continue absorbing liquid. Warm it over low heat and stir gently so the grains do not break apart too much.
