PERUVIAN CUISINE

Any visitor entering an urban market will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of consumables offered without the customary seasonal shortages of other markets this is due to a geographical condition, peculiar to Peru., with sea, deserts ,mountains of all heights, and Jungle areas which sea, deserts, mountains of all heights, and Jungle areas which support very varied ecosystems and climates.

It is argued that the climate is one of the reasons for such a variety of seasonings and flavors in Peruvian cuisine, so that a particularly, dominant influence is difficult to discern. Potatoes, corn, vegetables, greens and fruits are equally available throughout the twelve months of the year. Peruvian geography establishes a clear gastronomic division: the visitor will surely hear about the characteristics and peculiarities of Coast, Highland and Jungle food.

Cultural influences have also played a role. It many be considered that Peruvian cuisine is based on the tasty and weighty mixture of two cultures: the Spanish and the indigenous, to which have been added generous Negro (African) and Asian (Chinese and Japanese) components, with marked touches of Italian and French cuisine.

Although the quality of this cuisine has not been widely propagated, in the opinion of specialists, Peru has the best food in the American Continent. The gastronomic connoisseur will no doubt soon recognize a continuous “mixture” of creole, Indian, Negro and foreign elements in meals and that Peruvian cooks are extremely creative in trying the most incredible dishes, motivated by the search for innovative specialties and seasonings and open to introduce an ever increasing variety of products and flavours. This prompts many to refer to it as a “novo Andean cuisine” or a “new Peruvian cuisine” where the convergence and increasing selection of cooking techniques and ingredients have contributed to confer an unexpected profile to what has, by tradition and taste, constituted the popular practice of good eating.

Ají de gallina is a classic dish in Peruvian cuisine, and an example of the aforementioned crossing. Yellow potatoes (a variety only grown in Peru) and ground dried yellow hot peppers called mirasol are added to a sauce made of bread crumbs soaked in milk, powdered groundnuts and finely shredded pieces of chicken –all products imported by the European conquerors.

The indigenous influence. On the other hand, more than a few have tried to classify Peruvian cuisine. This is not an easy task, but the reader many need to know some of the terms to be heard everywhere. Some indigenous usages prevail: one constant Indian feature is that cooking is preferred to frying, and in all cases, potatoes dominate stews and combinations. The various ecological levels of the Andes produce multiple –some speak of 300 hundred varieties of potatoes- and by means of an ancestral technique they may be preserved by drying and converting them into chuño (potato meal). Potatoes are used in ajices and ajiacos (hot pepper caseroles), causa (mashed potatoes, eggs and chilli peppers) and stuffed potatoes, chupes (chowders), soups, carapulcra (dried potato and pork dish) and roasted meats.

Corn is also a must, boiled and tender, eaten with cottage cheese, or in tamales, a solid ground corn spiced mass wrapped with banana leaves and steamed. Red hot peppers mostly used for their color and taste are the main ingredient of the famous Arequipa style stuffed peppers, called rocoto relleno. Which then, in short, are the Peruvian dishes to keep in mind?
Entrée:

Ceviches (in all its forms)

Papas a la huancaína (Huancayo style steamed, potatoes covered with a yellow sauce made with cheese and hot peppers.

Causa a la limeña. Mashed potato with onios, lemon, ground hot pepper (not piquiant), hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise and either chicken, shrimp, vegetables, etc. Stuffing a typical Lima dish.

Ocopa a la arequipeña. Arequipa style boiled potatoes covered with a greenish sauce made with nuts, cream, an aromatic herb called huacatay (marigold), shrimps, hot pepper, onion, garlic and soda crackers.

Anticuchos. Marinated beef heart cut into cubes and broiled over charcoal fire.

Tamales. A spicy maize dough with chopped pork or chicken and olives wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

Palta rellena. Avocado filled with shrimp or crab meat, slightly seasoned with lemon.

Fondo de alcachofa rellena con conchas. Artichoke heart filled with shells. When natural, seasoned with Worcestershire sauce; if grated, with parmesan cheese.

Pulpo a la oliva. Octupus, boiled and softened, seasoned with a black olive mayonaise.

Main courses:

Chupe de camarones (shrimp chowder). A fish and shrimp soup with milk, eggs, oregano. Absolutely delicious.

Ají de gallina (chicken in a spicy creamy preparation)

Sancochado (meat and vegetable pot)

Arroz con pato a la chiclayana. Duck seasoned with salt, pepper, coriander, orégano, chili, rice and bell peppers both ground and in strips.

Adobos (marinated dishes)

Secos (stews of several types: kid lamb)

Carapulcra. Dried potatoes and diced pork dressed with red chili and peanuts.

Olluquito con charqui. Ollucos (a tiny Andean tubercle) and dried meat condimented with salt and hot red chili.

Cau-cau. Tripe and potatoes dressed with chili pepper.

Desserts:

Mazamorra morada is a unique pudding – like mixture made from purple corn and diced fruit. Picarones is a form o doughnut or cruller made with sweet potato flour, pumpkin and yeast, and served with sweet syrup.

However, a foreign visitor will certainly be more interested in desserts which have a perfect flavor of tropical fruits: chirimoya (custard apple), guanábana (soursop), maracuyá (passion fruit), lúcuma (egg fruit) just to mention the best known.

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