Quibebé facts for kids

Kiveve is a creamy traditional dish of Paraguay and the North-East of Argentina that is made with a pumpkin with deep orange flesh and sweet taste, milk, sugar, corn flour, and fresh cheese, and may be served as a dessert, as a breakfast, or as a sweet snack during the afternoon.

Quibebé (pronounced kibe'be in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay), kivevé (also kibe'be in Paraguay), or quibebe (pronounced ki'bɛbi in Brazil) is a popular and tasty dish. It's a slightly sweet stew or purée made from a type of winter squash. You can find it in Paraguayan, Northeastern Brazilian, and North-Eastern Argentine cooking.

This dish has a soft, dough-like feel and is very creamy. It tastes wonderful! The main ingredient is a special kind of pumpkin called "andaí" or "zapallo anco." This pumpkin is from the Cucurbita moschata family. It can be long or round. Its skin can be green, orange, or reddish. The inside of the pumpkin is bright orange. This color is called "reddish" in the Guaraní language, which is where the name Kiveve comes from.

The idea for "kiveve" first came from the Guaraní-Jesuit Missions.

What's in Kiveve and How to Make It

Smashing cubes in the pot.

Kiveve in a bowl with milk.

To make traditional "kiveve," you need a few simple ingredients. You'll use a pumpkin or "andai" that has bright orange flesh and a sweet taste. This pumpkin is cooked and then mashed into a purée. You also need sugar, a type of cornmeal (which is somewhere between corn starch and corn flour), and fresh cheese.

Here's how it's made:

• First, the pumpkin is peeled and cut into cubes.
• Then, the pumpkin cubes are boiled in water until they are soft.
• Once soft, the pumpkin is mashed. You can use a blender or mash it right in the pot with its cooking water.
• Next, sugar is added to the mashed pumpkin.
• After that, the corn flour is slowly sifted over the purée while you stir the mixture over the heat.
• You keep stirring for about 10 minutes, or until the corn flour is fully cooked.
• Finally, finely chopped fresh cheese is added. Stir it for a few more seconds, then take the pot off the heat.
• Long ago, kiveve was often cooked in clay pots.

Kiveve is usually served warm or cool in a bowl. People often pour milk over it to taste. This dish is enjoyed as a sweet snack or as a dessert.

Why is it Called Kiveve?

The name "kiveve" comes from the Guaraní language. In Guaraní, "kiveve" means a reddish color. The main ingredient, the "andai" pumpkin, has a deep orange color. Because of this bright, reddish-orange color, the dish was given the name "kiveve." Sometimes, in everyday talk, the word "kiveve" is even used to describe people with red hair!

See also

In Spanish: Kivevé para niños