Food

Introduction to Peruvian Food

Peru is famous throughout South America for its food. As a major fishing nation, fish is abundant, and prepared with imagination. Primary ingredients are potatoes, rice, fish, chicken, pork, lamb, Peruvian hot pepper.

Chicken, pork and lamb were introduced to Peru 500 years ago, when Spaniards came to America. Other ingredients, like potatoes, were already being grown in the Peruvian Andes and were taken by the Spaniards back to Europe. Today more than 200 varieties of potato can be found in the Lake Titicaca area. They range in color from purple to blue, from yellow to brown. Sizes and textures vary as well. Some are smalls as nuts; others can be as large as oranges.

General information:

• Pescado y Mariscos (Fish and Seafood): Anything with fish is a great bet. In the mountains, you can find “trucha,” the local fresh Andean trout, generally farm raised.
• Comida Criolla: This is the term for the traditional Peruvian dishes. Aji de gallina (spicy chicken stew), lomo saltado (stir-fry beef), chupe (fish stew) anticuchos (marinated beef heart). Vegetables play a major role in these dishes.
• Chifa:This is the term for Chinese restaurants in Peru. From very elegant to simple, all seem to serve excellent food in and around Lima. Peruvians love to celebrate events at the Chifas.
• Seafood Cevicherias: When Peruvians go to a restaurant, at lunch time or in a special situation (someone’s birthday, for example), they mostly go to “Cevicherias”. This kind of restaurant serves sea food of all types. The most traditional meal in Peru, the one that at least in South America represents the Peruvian food, is the Ceviche.
• Pachamanca: “An ancient and revered ritual in which the Andean man communicates with mother earth.” From Quechua, pachamanca translates to when the earth (pacha) becomes a pot (manca).  Generally prepared for a group of ten or more, the dish is made by digging a hole in the ground and  heating clean stones in a fire for an hour or more. When the stones are hot enough, meat, vegetables, and spices are placed inside a sack and buried in the hot stones.
• Inca Kola: The local soda. The color of this soft drink is bright yellow and it smells like bubble gum.

Typical dishes:

• Aji de Gallina: Shredded chicken in a spiced milk sauce.
• Adobo de Cerdo: Pork sauce, served with white rice.
• Arroz con Pollo: Boiled chicken seasoned with a green sauce. Served always with green rice (rice cooked with basil)
• Anticuchos: Marinated grilled beef heart.
• Carapulca: Dried and diced potatoes with pork, steak and rice.
• CauCau: Tripe and diced potatoes
• Ceviche (cebiche): Fish or mixed shrimp cut into small pieces , mixed with lemon juice and left to sit for 1hr. To serve, it is mixed with onions, celery, cilantro, salt and black pepper.
• Chupa de camarones: Fish stew with fish, shrimp, rice, eggs, and cheese.
• Escabeche de Pescado: Boiled fish seasoned with onions, aji and lemon juice
• Ocopa: Boiled potatoes in a seasoned sauce of cheese and nuts
• Papa la Huancaina: Potatoes served with a special spicy sauce, olives, lettuce and egg.
• Papa Rellena: Meat-stuffed potato patties.
• Parihuela: Fish, shrimp crabs, mussels and octopus. Served with yuca and rice.
• Roast Cuy: Guinea pig. This is considered a delicacy, and is traditionally served for very special occasions.
• Rocoto Relleno: Typical dish with meat, onions, peanuts, milk and eggs, everything baked inside of the delicious rocoto (pepper), with potatoes and cheese.
• Seco de Frejoles: Boiled beans with a lamb stew in green sauce, always served with white rice and raw onions seasoned with lemon and aji.

Drinks:

• Pisco sour: Alcoholic drink with Pisco, sugar, egg whites, lemon, bitters, and cinnamon. According to my co-worker from Chile, there is a friendly competition among South Americans regarding which country makes the best Pisco sour. Peruvians, at at least one Chilean, say Peru makes the best.
• Chicha and chicha morada: Ancient corn-based drink. Chicha is alcoholic. Chicha morada (purple) is not. Critics say the homemade varieties are best.
• Coca tea: Ancient drink used to treat altitude sickness and served after a meal.
• Quinoa juice: Popular breakfast food/drink made from quinoa.
• Essence of frog: I’m not kidding. Apparently this is sold on the streets and is made from frog (killed and skinned when you order the drink), carob extract, half of a banana, carrot and beet juice, a raw quail egg, water, honey, and maca (a kind of powdered root).

Resources:

• Main source: http://www.travellersworldwide.com/06-peru/peru-food.htm
• Denver dining: Los Cabos II: http://www.loscabosii.com/LosCabosIIfoodsanddrinks.htm
• A Taste of the World blog: http://atasteoftheworld.wordpress.com/category/peru/
• Peruvian online cookbook – in Spanish: http://www.saboresdelperu.com/index.htm