|
"Peru can lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great
cuisines". This was the conclusion of a well known financial
magazine in 2004 and since then Peruvian cuisine has been described
as 'the new Thai' and continues to fascinate chefs the world over.
Peru is home to some 80 types of the world's 104 different biological
zones, which assures an amazing assortment of fresh ingredients.
Potatoes and hot peppers from the Andes, fish and seafood from the
Pacific Ocean, mangoes and limes from the coastal valleys, bananas
and manioc from the Amazon jungle: a chef's only problem is abundance
of choice.
More importantly, Peruvian cuisine has a remarkable history. Ever
since the first blending between Inca and Spanish traditions, local
cooks have been capable of incorporating the flavours and techniques
of the many immigrants that disembarked in the country's ports, in
particular African, Chinese, and Japanese. Potatoes are probably the
main contribution of the Incas to the world. By the early XVI
century, when Spaniards arrived, Peruvian natives had already
domesticated some 1000 varieties of the tuber. Although potatoes were
fundamental to their diet, Inca cuisine also comprised cereals like
quinua and corn, meats like alpaca and cuy (a native guinea pig),
fruits, and obviously hot peppers -their most significant gift to
Peruvian cuisine.
Thanks to its pre-Inca and Inca heritage and to Spanish, Basque,
African, Sino-Cantonese, Japanese, Arabic and finally Italian, French
and British immigration (mainly throughout the 19th century),
Peruvian cuisine combines the flavors of four continents. The great
variety in Peruvian cuisine stems from three major influences: Peru's
unique geography ; Peru's openness and blending of distinct
ethnicities and cultures ; The incorporation of ancient cuisine into
modern Peruvian cuisine
Peruvian cuisine is very regional. The cuisine of the coast can be
said to have five strong influences: Japanese, the Moorish, the
African, the Chinese and the local native. A centre of immigration
and centres of the Spanish Viceroyalty, Lima and Trujillo have
incorporated unique dishes brought from the arrival of the Spanish
Conquistadors and the receiving of many waves of immigrants: African,
European, Chinese, and Japanese.
The cuisine of the northern coast offers a difference in style from
the central and southern varieties. This is not only due to the
coastal native Indian influence (less Andean), the Moorish and
Spanish influence, the African and the Gypsy influence (Hindustani);
but also to the warmer coastal seas, hotter climate and immense
geographical latitude variety. In the valleys and plains of the
Andes, the locals' diet continues to be based on corn (maíz),
potatoes, and an assortment of tubers as it has been for many
hundreds of years. Meat comes from indigenous animals like alpacas
and guinea pigs, but also from imported livestock like sheep and swine.
Naturally, jungle cuisine is made using the products local to the
area. Although many animal species are hunted for food in the
biologically diverse jungle, standouts are the paiche (one of the
world's largest freshwater fish), prepared in variety of dishes; many
other types of fish like gamitana, sabalo, tucunare, boquichico,
palometa, bagre, and many others including the piranha, that are
prepared in variety of dishes such as "timbuche" (soup) or
"patarashca" (grilled in vegetables); many types of turtles
like the motelo (land turtle), and the charapa and taricaya (river turtles).
Thanks to Peru's three regions and ocean there are an abundance
variety of fresh ingredients that satisfied not only the most
sophisticated chef. Many Inca dishes have make it practically
unchanged to the XXI century, and are cooked just like 500 years ago.
The best examples are probably carapulca and pachamanca.
Peruvian cuisine is often made spicy by means of ají pepper, a
basic ingredient. Chile peppers existed in South America as long ago
as 7500 BC but some Peruvian chili peppers are not spicy but serve to
give taste and color to dishes. Rice often accompanies dishes in
Peruvian cuisine, and the regional sources of foods and traditions
give rise to countless varieties of preparation and dishes.
The particular developments in Peruvian cuisine in recent years has
been down to firstly the influence of the immigrant Chinese community
and later the Japanese. Chifa (meaning "to eat food") is
the Peruvian term for Chinese food (or for a Chinese restaurant). In
the 150 years since its arrival in Peru, the Chinese Peruvian culture
has revolutionized Peruvian cuisine, gaining international
recognition from those who have had the opportunity to sample it
while visiting Peru.
Chifa reflects a fusion by Chinese Peruvians of the products that the
Chinese brought with them to those that they found in Peru, and later
cultivated themselves. Even some creole dishes such as tacu-tacu,
lomo saltado, and arroz chaufa were influenced by the Chinese.
Top Peruvian dishes are :
Papa a la Huancaina: Sliced Boiled Potatoes covered in a
cheesy, slightly spicy yellow sauce (which contains Turmeric) served
on top of lettuce. This dish is usually garnished with a quarter of a
hard-boiled egg and sometimes with olives too.
Anticuchos: Skewered meat (brochettes) that are sold
throughout the streets of Peru and of course in restaurants. We
recommend that you ask what type of meat it is before ordering one,
as the most general kind is called anticucho de corazón, which
is marinated beef hearts grilled on a stick.
Lomo Saltado:If you are on diet, we don't recommend this dish.
Peruvians take strips of steak and sauté it with soy sauce,
vinegar, garlic, chillies, onions and tomatoes. It is then served
over a bed of rice with a large helping of chips (french fries). It
is often served with a small side of salad too. It is a hearty meal
that is served in many of the cheaper restaurants.
Ceviche: There are many different variations of the dish which
can be found in almost every restaurant in Peru. It is generally made
with bite size chunks of raw white fish, normally sea bass. The fish
is marinated in lemon / lime juice, onions and chillies.
Traditionally it is served with boiled sweet potatoes or corn.
Tiradito: is similar to Ceviche though the fish is cut into
strips instead of the chunks and it is made without onions giving it
a lighter flavour.
Aji de Gallina: Shredded chicken is cooked with a sauce of
milk, onions, chillies, garlic, walnuts and cheese. It is served over
rice and is a favourite of many Peruvians and tourists alike.
Alcoholic Drinks
Pisco, a kind of brandy, is the national drink of Peru. This
distilled beverage made from grapes is produced in various regions of
the country. Pisco Sour is a cocktail made from pisco combined with
key lime juice, the white of an egg and sugar.
Wines come from many different regions of the country, most notably
from the Ica Region.
Beer as in many countries, is popular in all levels of society. Local
brands include Pilsen and Cristal. A couple of regional beers are
Arequipeña and Cuzqueña (Cusqueña), from
Arequipa and Cuzco, respectively; though Cuzqueña is popular
nationwide and is exported worldwide.
PAPAS A LA HUANCAINA / Potatoes Huancaina Style
Ingredients :
5 ají amarillo fresco / fresh yellow aji (chili)
2 garlic cloves
14 oz - 1 3/4 cup(400 g) famers chesse (ricotta, cottage or feta)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 hardboiled eggs
4 Spanish olives pitted and cut in halves
2.2 lb (1 k) yellow flesh potatoes, boiled (if not available, use
white potatoes)
Lettuce - Salt - Pepper
Preparation:
Remove seeds and veins from the ajis or chilli peppers and wash well
with water rubbing one against the other. Cut into pieces.
In a medium skillet, with oil, stir-fry the aji, whole garlic cloves
until tender.
Put this mixture in a blender or processor and add the cheese and
oil. Blend until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve: Arrange sliced potatoes on a bed of lettuce, pour sauce to
cover. Garnish with sliced hardboiled eggs and olives.
CEVICHE / Marinated Fish
Ingredients :
2.2 lb (1 k) filet of sole or any fresh, white, tender fish
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
Juice of 8 to 10 freshly squeezed key limes
5 finely chopped aji limo / Chili
Salt - Pepper
1½ tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 to 5 cloves crushed garlic
3 leaves of lettuce
3 yellow sweet potatoes
8 1-inch slices of maize corn
1 ají limo / Chili cut in thin slices for decoration
Preparation:
Boil sliced corn with a few anise seeds.
Boil sweet potatoes, peel and cut into slices 1 inch (2 cm) thick.
Wash fish with water and salt. Cut in squares 1/2 inch thick.
Slice onion thinly; add salt.
Cut aji limo in halves, seeded and deveined.
Place fish on serving dish and season with crushed garlic and salt.
Add finely chopped aji limo, key lime juice, pepper and chopped
cilantro. Let set for 10 minutes (taste juice to check hotness).
Place onions over fish.
Decorate the platter with the slices of corn, aji limo, sweet potato
and leaves of lettuce. |
