Peruvian Cuisine - Recipes, Ingredients and Traditions of Peruvian gastronomy for the world

This fried starter is quite popular in many South American countries, with slight variations per city. Some peruvians say it was first prepared by soldiers who fought in the Pacific War. While walking long distances for several days, these soldiers would have to carry food with no bags, nor how to refrigerate it. Such a problem made them come up with a smart idea. They would cook and season the meat, and mix it with boiled potatoes until it would became a sort of dough. They would placed the meat inside and then fried it to make it consistent. True or not, that recipe is now wide spread in Peruvian culture, as part of street food tradition in many cities around the country. Try it yourself: Ingredients 3 large potatoes (if you have access to peruvian varieties such as white and yellow potatoes, it would be perfect) 1 peace cassava 300 grams of ground beef 1 yellow pepper 1 onion 2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon of peruvian ají panca 1 tablespoon tomato sauce Parsley 2 eggs Flour Sa...

There's one very particular dish in Peruvian cuisine that stands out for it's ingredientes and cooking process, and that is  Cau Cau . It is a stew commonly prepared with chopped potatoes, yellow pepper and chicken or tripe (cow stomach). The origin of this dish, as well as that of its name, has several theories and not everyone agrees. In the first place, the creation of the cau cau is associated with the time of the Spanish colony, where Indian slaves and non-white people had limited access to ingredients and only had the frequently discarded parts. Hence the use of liver, intestines and stomach of the cow. Is it a coincidence that the pronunciation of the name Cau Cau sounds very similar to "Cow Cow"? Perhaps, but it also leads to amusing speculation about the origin of the recipe. Cau Cau Ingredients: 1.6 pounds tripe (mondongo) 2 tablespoons butter 2 sprigs spearmint Oil1 chopped onion 1 teaspoon garlic 1 cup diced carrots and peas 3 tablespoons yellow pepper ¼ ...

This traditional dish originated in the andean city of Arequipa, but is now popular all over the country. Some say it's been prepared since the age of the Inca's empire. Messengers back then use to travel by running from city to city, carrying around a bag called " Ocopa ", with chili, pleanuts and herbs. The star ingredient is the Peruvian Black Mint herb, known as "Huacatay" in the Andean country. The presentation resembles the also famous Huancaína Potatoes, but with a lot of green color in it. Ingredients 2 pounds white potato 1 pound onion 1 pound white cheese (peruvian Queso Fresco) 7 ounces roasted peanut 6 green peppers (seeds or veins removed) 1 cup evaporated milk 4 mirasol peppers (seeds or veins removed) 1 cup black mint (peruvian huacatay) Olives (to decorate) 4 boiled eggs Lettuce leaves Oil and salt Preparation First boil, peel and cut potatoes into slices. In a frying pan, fry the green peppers, mirasol and the chopped onion. Put the fr...

Green and unique. Everybody loves " Arroz con Pollo " in Peru. Sure, the obvious combination of chicken and rice is not tied exclusively to this country. Actually it has mediterranean roots. But this version is quite different and certainly delicious. People in Lima prepare this dish really often every week, because it's simple, tastes really good and the ingredients are easy to get anywhere in the country. Adding corn or even dress the rice with the popular "huancaina" sauce are even greater variations. Ingredients: 1 chicken in pieces 1 onion diced in really small parts 1 smashed garlic 1 spoon of aji amarillo 1 diced carrot 1 cup of coriander 3 cups of rice 1 portion of beans 1 sliced pepper Preparation: Remove the skin and marinate the chicken with salt, garlic and aji amarillo for 50 minutes. Brown the chicken with oil for three minutes, using a pot. Put the chicken aside for a while, and use the same pot to cook the onion, carrot, aj...

Some traditional dishes in Peru have a strong influence from African immigrants that arrived in the XVIII century. One of those are the anticuchos, which are small pieces of grilled skewered meat, usually beef heart. The meat acquires a strong taste when marinated in vinegar and spices (such as cumin, aji pepper and garlic) and often come with a boiled potato, salad and corn. Ingredients: • 1 Beef heart or 500 grams / 2 lb of beef rump steak • Salt • 3 to 4 cloves of smashed garlic • ½ cup of red wine vinegar • 2 tablespoons of olive oil • 1 tablespoon of ground cumin • 1 large chili peppers, finely chopped without seeds Preparation: Work on the beef heart in order to get rid of veins and fat. Cut the heart or rump steak in small 3 to 4cm (1 to 1½ in) cubes. In a large bowl mix the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, chili pepper and ground cumin. Add the heart cubes and let the heart marinate for several hours or overnight. If you are using rump steak you do no...

Hot, delicious and unique. One of the most well known rocoto dishes in Peru is the rocoto relleno . This is a traditional entree from the Andean city of Arequipa , made with rocoto (chili pepper). Besides the meat, it can be stuffed with many another ingredients. As for the ideal stuffing, this beef mix contains beef, pork, onion, garlics, margarine (or butter), cream, peacans and it will be a heaven meal. Ingredients: • 7 rocotos with a wide base • 3/4 cup of red vinegar • 200 g (1/2 lb) of ground beef • 100 g (1/4 lb) of ground pork • 3 tablespoons of olive oil • 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce • 1/2 glass of dry white wine • 2 tablespoons of cream • 1/4 cup of ground peacans • 1/2 cup of beef stock • 1 tablespoon of aji panca paste • 6 small potatoes, cooked and peeled • 1 red onion, chopped • 2 cloves of garlic, ground • 1/4 cup or margarine or butter • 1/2 tablespoon of flour • 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese • 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese • 2 tablespoo...

A soup from the coast of Peru, made with chicken and noodles. It has a strong taste and people usually eat it in the morning, specially after a party night. Ingredients for Caldo de Gallina: 1 5–6-lb. stewing chicken or hen 2 leeks, trimmed, roughly chopped, and washed well 2 ibs celery, roughly chopped 2 carrots, roughly chopped 1 1" piece ginger, peeled and smashed 1 head garlic, halved crosswise 6 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and left whole 6 oz. dried egg noodles Kosher salt, to taste 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro 4 scallions, thinly sliced 2 limes, quartered 1 fresh red chile (such as fresno), stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped Preparation: We must start by rinsing the chicken under cold water and remove and discard giblets (or set aside for another use). Put chicken, leeks, celery, carrots, ginger, garlic, and 5 quarts cold water into an 8-quart stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to mediu...