Locro argentino al horno de barro para todo el barrio

What does “porotos” mean in Argentine Spanish?

The cook builds his locro on a base of porotos and corn. Porotos is the Southern Cone word for beans — standard in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. Cross into Mexico and Central America and the same beans become frijoles; in the Caribbean and parts of Spain they’re habichuelas or judías. One legume, a regional map of names — and poroto comes straight from Quechua purutu.

Locro is the hearty stew Argentines eat on patriotic dates like May 25 and July 9; its name is also Quechua (ruqru), a reminder of how deeply Andean food words run through Southern Cone Spanish. In the clip you’ll also catch porotos alongside maíz and meats like pechito de cerdo — the bean-and-corn base is what makes a locro a locro.