Peruvian food

Peruvian Ceviche most popular dish in South America
Peru's Eating Guide  ·  The latest news about Peru
Peruvian Ceviche Tops 100 Most Popular Dishes in South America

Ceviche takes the top spot of South America’s most popular dishes for the second year in a row. Twenty other Peruvian dishes join the list compiled by the website TasteAtlas.

Will we ever tire of seeing ceviche celebrated around the world? Highly unlikely. The staple Peruvian dish continues to steal hearts and awards, and this year it keeps its crown as the most popular dish in South America.

Ceviche de pescado, the classic version made with raw fish, onions and marinated in lime, topped TasteAtlas’ list of 100 popular dishes. It leads the pack of a whopping 21 Peruvian dishes that were included. The list includes dishes from the coast, jungle and Andes. TasteAtlas is a a digital encyclopedia of food and drinks from around the world.

Take a look at the dishes that made the cut, and click on each to learn more about them. For the complete list of 100, click here.

#98: Carapulcra

#95: Parihuela

#83: Chupe de camarones

#78: Pachamanca

#69: Juane

#59: Papa rellena

#50: Arroz con camarones

#46: Tacu tacu

#45: Arroz chaufa

#43: Aji de gallina

#40: Salchipapa

#38: Leche de tigre

#36: Jalea

#33: Ceviche mixto

#31: Picarones

#24: Anticucho

#23: Lomo saltado

#21: Butifarra

#15: Pollo a la brasa

#13: Tiradito

Cover photo: Andina

July 9, 2020

Vegan restaurants in Lima_Raw Cafe
Peru's Eating Guide
A Guide to Living Vegan in Lima, Peru

These seven restaurants offering vegan options in Lima are worth a shot, whether you lead a plant-based, animal product-free lifestyle, or want to try something new.

Between lomo saltado, ceviche, salchipapas and tacu tacu, Peruvian dishes are celebrated for their creativity and flavor. Yet, not enough attention is given to the tasty variety of vegetarian and vegan foods that are made with Peruvian ingredients. Traveling around Peru as a vegan is not as tough as you may think. Below are just a few vegan-friendly options you will find in Lima.

Take note that because of the Coronavirus outbreak, many restaurants continue to work only through delivery and take out. Follow their social media accounts for updates on when their dine in service will resume.

1. Veda Restaurante

Veda offers international dishes inspired by Ayurveda and free of gluten, sugar and animal products. The establishment was started by Percy García, a master yogi who trained in India for twelve years. Using traditional cooking techniques, Veda offers vegan options for some of Peru’s emblematic dishes like causa acebichada, risotto con lomo (made with tofu), and papa a la huancaina, with the sauce made with cashews.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

Calle Schell 634, Miraflores, Lima18

2. Armónica Café

This is a quaint little café in Miraflores that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their breakfast options, like their waffles made with garbanzo, yucca and rice flour, or their berry beauty bowl, will not disappoint you. For lunch and dinner, you will see options like sushi rolls, tallarin saltado (stir fried noodles), and pizzas.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

Av. Mariscal La Mar 955, Lima, Peru

3. Quinoa Cafe

Quinoa Cafe grew from three locations to a chain of cafes focused on natural and sustainable food options. This is a great option for a quick and healthy breakfast or lunch, as they offer everything from salads and wraps, to smoothie bowls and pancakes.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

San Isidro: Dean Valdivia 137; Pardo y Aliaga 664; Centro Empresarial Real; Torre Panamá
Surco: Jockey Plaza and Cronos
Miraflores: Aloft hotel

4. Las Vecinas

Las Vecinas is hidden away just off the main streets of Barranco making it is easy to miss, but definitely worth finding. This is an excellent place to wind down and have a conversation with friends over a cup of coffee or huge platter of guacamole. Also worth trying are the quinoa burgers and quinoa bowls. Everything on the menu is vegetarian or vegan friendly.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

Jr. Domeyer 219, Barranco

5. El Jardí­n de Jazmin

El Jardí­n de Jazmin in Miraflores was an exciting find, serving typical Peruvian dishes with a vegetarian or vegan twist, including ceviche de champiñones and champipapas (salchipapas made with mushrooms instead of sausage). Moreover, this hidden gem in Miraflores has a wide selection of lemonades, including one made with coca leaves.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

Av. La Paz 838, Miraflores

6. La Bodega Verde

Both locations of La Bodega Verde are charming spaces that truly encompass the bohemian vibe of Barranco. Their space in Jr. Sucre is a cozy house with indoor and outdoor seating, and also pet friendly. This is an excellent spot to relax, order a coffee or tea, and enjoy their tasty and healthy dishes. While not explicitly vegetarian or vegan, this locale offers many options to suit any diet, all made with fresh, healthy ingredients.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

Barranco: Jr. Sucre 335A Barranco; Parque del MAC Av. Grau 1511

7. Raw Cafe: all vegan

Raw Cafe is exactly what its name indicates: a plant-based eatery uncovering the creative ways to make fulfilling and tasty meals made with earth-grown ingredients. Their offerings include wraps, with the dough made out out dehydrated mangoes and flax seeds, filled with hummus and all the veggies your heart desires; pizzas with cashew cheese and caramelized onions; quinoa waffles; or Dal Masala. Vegan all the way.

Check out their Facebook Page for their delivery and take-out menu.

Miraflores 1: Independencia 596; Mariano Odicio 432; Av. La Mar 1034
Surco: Av. Primavera 1821
La Molina: Los sauces 511

Cover photo: Raw Cafe Facebook Page

This article has been updated from its original publication by Nicholle Cardinal on January 12, 2017.

July 7, 2020

Andean cuisine Cusco Sacred Valley
Cusco  ·  Peru's Eating Guide  ·  Traveling in Peru
6 Ways to Experience Andean Cuisine in Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Peruvian gastronomy is as diverse as the country’s landscape. Visit the Andes and you’ll be met with a unique culinary experience. These are the 6 ways to experience Andean cuisine during your visit to Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

1. Enjoy a traditional Pachamanca

Surrounded by the astonishing landscape of the Andes mountains, Lake Piuray is located in Cusco amidst trees and farming fields at 3,435 meters above sea level. This is a special place to enjoy a delicious pachamanca (Pacha in quechua means earth, and manca means pot) for lunch.

Pachamanca is a traditional dish that is cooked in an earthen stove, called a huatia, with the help of hot stones. This way of cooking dates back to the time of the Inca and includes different foods such as potatoes, yucca, meats and vegetables.

2. Learn how to cook quinoa in an Andean community

Travelers who visit the Huilloc community in the Sacred Valley can enjoy a gastronomic cultural experience that involves harvesting quinoa from the field, followed by the preparation of a typical dish for lunch using this nutritious Andean grain, and enjoying it in a charming picnic. Learn more about visit Huilloc here.

3. Taste the unique salt of the Incas

The Incas extracted salt from the salty water that emerged from an underground stream in the town of Maras, an enchanting place in the Sacred Valley located at 3,360 m.a.s.l. The Maras salt mines continue to work and can be visited by taking a pleasant hike in the valley.

4. Sample chocolate, coffee and pisco

When in Cusco city, start of your gastronomic tour with a visit to the Coffee Museum, where you can learn to differentiate grains, watch the roasting process and enjoy a coffee tasting. Next, visit the Choco Museo, where you can participate in a workshop to learn how chocolate is made from cacao and how to pair chocolate with craft beers. End your culinary adventure with a tasting of pisco, Peru’s emblematic liquor, at the Museo de Pisco or República del Pisco.

5. Attend an Andean cuisine cooking class

Your Andean cuisine experience in Cusco can continue with a visit to the San Pedro Market, where you will get acquainted with local produce and ingredients. Follow up with a participatory cooking workshop, Cusco has many incredible offers, including workshops in rooftop kitchen with gorgeous views of the city.

6. Dine on haute cuisine in Machu Picchu

The recently renovated restaurant Chullpi – Machu Picchu is located in the town of Aguas Calientes, right below the Inca citadel. It offers contemporary and innovative dishes using local products. This Andean cuisine experience will delight and gratify travelers after a morning of exploring Machu Picchu.

Cover photo: Global Crop Diversity Trust/Flickr:

June 29, 2020

Tacu tacu Peruvian dish
Peru's Eating Guide
Tacu Tacu: Peru's Classic Leftover Dish (Plus Recipe)

What is tacu tacu? Its origins may be humble, but Peruvians have found infinite ways to make this dish a spectacular and memorable one.

It’s called tacu tacu (also tacu-tacu), and there are as many versions as there are clouds in the sky. Its origin story starts simple enough: a mixture of rice and beans that would become the subsistence of African slaves across the Americas. In the US, this mixture would turn into the dish Hoppin’ John, while in Cuba it became the famed Moros y Cristianos.

One of the first written mentions of tacu tacu is in the 1872 document, Salpicon de costumbres nacionales, by Federico Flores Galindo. The name derives from the Quechua Word takuy, which means to mix or combine. The standard dish is made with cooked rice, legume of choice, and a sofrito sauce (typically made with ají amarillo, garlic and onion) with which to sauté the ingredients and form a homogenous mass.

Now, here is where the Peruvian creativity kicks in. You won’t find tacu tacu plain and simple rice at restaurants or made at home, but instead it will be made a lo pobre, made with seafood or montado (mounted) with lomo saltado, breaded chicken or made with leftover arroz chaufa. The sky is the limit!

Below is a traditional recipe for tacu tacu by Flavia Hurtado:

For 4-6 people

Ingredients for tacu tacu

  1. 2 tbsp of chopped onions
  2. ½ tbsp of garlic
  3. 3 cups of canary beans (cooked as you like)
  4. 2 tbsp of olive oil
  5. 2 ½ cup of boiled rice
  6. 1 tbsp of yellow chili paste
  7. 1 tbsp of parsley

Preparation: Heat up your oil on medium heat and add garlic and onion to frying pan. Once the onion is transparent, add the yellow chili paste and mix for approximately 5 minutes. Add the beans and rice and mix together. Add parsley and stir for another 3 minutes. Compact the mix into a cylindrical shape, and turn up the heat to brown the top and bottom. Plate your tacu tacu. A quick accompaniment can be a fried egg or friend plantain.

Bonus: Canary beans recipe

Ingredients for canary beans:

  1. ½ kilo of canary beans (soak in water overnight)
  2. 1 medium onion, chopped
  3. 2 garlic cloves
  4. Salt, cumin and pepper to your liking
  5. 150 g of bacon6. 4 tbsp of vegetable oil

Preparation: A day before, soak the beans in water. (Pro tip: After 5 hours, change the water and add 1 tbsp of baking soda for extra buttery beans). The next day, boil the beans in water ,with 50 g of bacon, in a pressure pot on low heat for about 35 to 40 minutes. In a frying pan, sauté the onion, garlic and rest of the bacon, Add salt, cumin and pepper. After about 40 minutes, open the pot and add the sautéd ingredients and let it cook for another 10 minutes. (You can cook the beans in a regular pot, it should take 1 to 1.5 hours to cook).

Cover photo: Gaston Acurio Facebook Page

June 19, 2020

maria-zuniga
Peru's Eating Guide
Maria Zuñiga and Peru's Comida Criolla

The so-called tamale queen Maria Zuñiga continues family tradition of putting her heart and soul into preparing Peru’s version of comfort food: comida criolla.

Meet Maria Zuñiga, owner and head chef of Tradición Barranquina, specializing in comida criolla. Warmth and courtesy are trademarks of Maria’s, as any chef in the Peruvian gastronomic scene will tell you.

The experienced chef once served up soulful dishes like olluquito con carne (slivers of root vegetable with meat) and seco de carbrito (goat stew) in Parque de la Amistad of Surco, and now operates via delivery under the name Casa Zuñiga.

No matter the name change, her savory tamales and sweet humitas have been of constant interest for locals and foreigners alike [see video below]. Served warm, these small packages are a fragrant and delectable exposé of Peruvian ingredients such as artichoke, chickpea, maíz morado (purple corn) and a blend of quinoa-kiwicha, a personal favorite.

Satisfying as her food is, Maria will often say that for her, the purpose of food is not just to fill the stomach but “to fill the soul” as well. Her passion for food began in the home, when her mother began the catering company Tradición Barranquina in 1955. Her mindset of carrying on a lineage is both personal and cultural; a mark of devotion towards her mother and also her motherland, Peru.

As Maria explains, the rich indigenous history of Peru and the immigration of Spanish settlers and African laborers brought forth the existence of comida criolla. As Peru began to experience a gastronomic boom at the start of the 21st century, a few top chefs (in addition to Zuñiga) stepped in to shine a light on traditional dishes passed down by generations, such as José del Castillo’s Isolina and Gaston Acurio’s El Bodegón.

In essence, criolla food holds up beautiful ideals of making the most of what one has and wasting nothing. This is observed in classic dishes such as anticuchos (cow’s heart), sangrecita (chicken blood) and even sesos de antaño (calf’s brain).

Hundreds of Maria’s tamales for the III Moot Scout Interamericano 2018 hosted by Cusco, Peru

While utilization of ingredients is key, the foundation of Maria’s food is based on cooking with cariño (affection) so as to curate the life of the ingredients that Peru bountifully provides. The book Like Water for Chocolate played with the fantastical sense of transmitting emotions through food—but how does a non-literary figure pretend to add intangible ingredients?

“It may seem like a joke, but when I cook I think of my mother and I feel her there with me,” explains Maria. “Something she shared with me early on was the idea that a negative mindset only brings forth negative outcomes. If you consciously put forth positivity—not just effort or force—into what you do, you are going to have the results that you want.”

Self-described as curious, Maria admits she’s asked customers to “describe what they feel or sense” when they eat her food. One memorable response from a customer was that they got an overwhelming feeling of “affection, like a hug.”

Considering the time investment often required in preparing comida criolla, it is vital that chefs like Maria truly enjoy what they do. Patazca for example, a traditional soup of central Peru, cooks for an immodest eight hours. For this reason, Maria, a well-studied chef with experience in various international culinary arts, assures that comida criolla can be one of the most difficult cuisines to prepare.

Luckily, just as Maria transmits affection into her cooking, sharing the dishes with others energizes the cook to keep doing what she loves: preserving a tradition through heartfelt cooking.

To spoil the family with traditional comida criolla: follow Casa Zuñiga on Facebook and send a WhatsApp to (+51) 981 053 832. All tamales—garbanzo, serranito, traditional and piuranitos—are filled with chicken and cost S/6. There are two available humitas: corn filled with cheese (humita de choclo con queso) and a sweet version filled with raisins and manjar (humita dulce con manjar y pasas); each costs S/6.

Take a look at one traveler’s reaction to Maria’s cooking here:

Cover photo: Andina

June 15, 2020

tamalito verde northern Peru food Piura Tumbes
Peru's Eating Guide
Great Seafood Dishes You Must Try in Northern Peru

You’ll find a variety of flavorful seafood dishes made with unique ingredients along the northern coast of Peru. Here’s your guide for how to eat well in Piura and Tumbes.

Piura and Tumbes are coastal regions but they also count on dry forests, tropical zones and mountains. With such a diverse climate zone, it’s no surprise there is such a wide variety of ingredients that make northern Peruvian recipes exceptionally good.

Ceviche heaven

One of the staple seafood dishes is, of course, ceviche. But if you think you know all there is to know about ceviche, think again. In the north, they coat fresh fish out of the water in lemon juice, add onion, limo chili, cancha (roasted and salted corn), mote (boiled corn), and yuca (cassava). As a side dish, you’re likely to find the tasty zarandaja– boiled beans that are typical of the area.

We recommend you try ceviche de conchas negras (black clams), clams that are harvested in Tumbes. Don’t let the black ink juice deter you, this dish is unique in flavor and presentation. Another ceviche to try is made with the tasty mero murique (a white, firm-fleshed fish).

Other great options include sea bass, langostinos (squat lobsters), crab, or mangrove scallops. It’s always a great idea to ask your server what is currently in season and to stick with those choices.

Soups, broths and chowders

Hot seafood dishes in northern Peru are nothing short of amazing. These dishes are fixtures at the picanterias and chicherias (traditional lunch shacks) that you can find all over the north, especially in Catacaos and Chulucanas (Piura). From the fresh ceviche, to the mighty sudado (a cross between a soup and a stew), the dishes are prepared from whatever seafood is on hand on a particular day.

The sudado broth is made from tomatoes, chili peppers and chicha. It’s then poured into a deep bowl, with a generous portion of fresh-caught fish on top. You’ll typically find this dish accompanied with yuca and steamed rice.

A traditional Northern Peruvian lunch starts with a chilcano (not to be confused with the cocktail), also known as raise-the-dead broth. Traditionally made in Tumbes and Piura from fish heads, cochayuyo (a type of seaweed), and lemon, in recent years this dish has evolved and it is not necessarily made from fish heads anymore. The broth is topped with fresh lemon, chili pepper and parsley or coriander.

Finally, the hearty chupe is a stout broth containing vegetables, seafood, milk an egg, and sometimes pasta. Though it’s served as an appetizer, helpings are usually so large that it can easily be your main course. With that in mind: split a chupe with a friend, or order it as your entrée.

Fish entrées

One of the classic dishes in Tumbes is majarisco, made from fried plantains (green banana) bathed in a sauce made from shellfish, squid, scallops, langostinos, fish stock, mangrove scallops, and octopus. It is seasoned with garlic, chili peppers, and coriander. Majado can be made using yuca, or stewed green bananas that are then mashed, mixed and served with a dressing made from onions, limo chili, and coriander. Traditionally, it is prepared using roast pork but also shellfish.

Malarrabia is another stew traditionally eaten on Fridays during Lent in Piura. It’s made with boiled and seasoned fish, a mash of plantains, onions, ajíes, tomato, and queso fresco made with goat’s milk.

You’ll also find seco de chabelo, a fascinating dish also made with plantains. Accompany your meal with a side of tamalito verde (green tamale), a specialty of the north. Unlike other tamales, this one does not have a filling but its tasty dough made with maize and coriander will win you over.

Finish off with dessert

There are many sweets to be found along the northern coast, check out our list here. We suggest you start off with natilla (a sweet spread) made from goat milk, flour and chancaca (a sugar-based sauce). Other popular desserts are chumbeque de miel (a sweet cake made from egg yolks, spices, and honey), a soft spread called manjar blanco, and quesillo.

Cover photo: mswine/Flickr

Source: Ultimate Journeys

This article has been updated from its original publication on August 21, 2018.

June 12, 2020

seco de chabelo recipe
Peru's Eating Guide
What is Seco de Chabelo? Make this Delicious Recipe at Home

Hailing from Piura in northern Peru, seco de chabelo is a tasty plantain-based dish that’s easy to make at home. Try this recipe with a jungle twist.

The story goes that in a bout of hunger, crewmen in the region of Bajo Piura (the valley south of Piura city and the Piura river) asked the chef, named Chabelo, to make them something hearty. Mixing the ingredients he had on hand, Chabelo created a masterpiece delighting the crewmen and, thereafter, a whole region.

  • chorizo and cecina from the Amazon
    Chorizo and cecina
  • charbroiled plantains
    Charbroiled plantains

Piura has a fascination with plantains (have you tried their spectacular plantain chips called chifles?), as does the neighboring jungle region. So it comes as no surprise that adding jungle chorizo and cecina (smoked meat) to seco de chabelo, also written as chavelo, would result in a mouthwatering dish. Here’s the recipe from Piura-born chef, Jorge Castañeda.

Ingredients

For 4 to 5 people

200 g beef shank

125 g cecina (substitute with other type of smoked meat)

125 gr chorizo de la selva (substitute with spicy sausage)

10 green plantains 

1 onion

2 tomatoes

1 bell pepper

1 ají amarillo (you can substitute with habanero pepper)

2 tablespoon ground ají panca (substitute with chipotle powder)

1 tablespoon ground ají amarillo

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup of chicha de jora (substitute with beer)

Salt, pepper & cumin

Annatto (achiote)

Scallions

Cilantro

Preparation of seco de chabelo

  • smashed fried plantains
    Smashed plantains
  • seco de chabelo
    Seco de chabelo

Chop meat and sausage into bite sized pieces. Brown the meat in a frying pan and set aside. Charbroil or grill the plantains until the peel begins to blacken and open. Peel the plantains and cut into pieces. Fry the plantains in abundant vegetable oil until golden. Place them over paper towels. Add the chunks to a bowl with a bit of oil and start smashing with a glass bottle. Set aside. Stir fry garlic chopped onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, ají amarillo, ground ají amarillo and ají panca. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Add achiote and chicha de jora. Let cook for two minutes. Add meat and plantains. Add cilantro, scallions and mix.

Top off your seco de chabelo with salsa criolla and enjoy!

All photos: Jorge Castañeda

June 2, 2020

Arroz chaufa a lo pobre Peru
Peru's Eating Guide
Eating 'A lo Pobre' in Peru: The Tasty Dishes You Should Try

What makes a dish a lo pobre in Peru? The story behind the phrase is fuzzy but the dishes that are upgraded as such are nothing short of over-the-top.

A lo pobre translates to poor man’s, or in the style of a poor man. With just a simple addition of a fried egg, fried plantains and/or rice and french fries, traditional dishes in Peru are taken to another level of tasty.

Indeed, dishes made a lo pobre have become staples in Peruvian cuisine in their own right. For Peruvians, making or ordering lomo saltado a lo pobre, for example, isn’t just out of caprice, but in fact they’d find themselves with an imperfect meal sans a lo pobre.

Bistec a lo pobre, or poor man’s steak, was the dish that started the movement in Peru and Chile. One theory states that the dish was named as such back in the 19th century out of irony: poorer classes would eat similarly abundant dishes at a high cost. Others believe that the term refers to the meals that were eaten by working-class residents in Lima: combining protein with loads of carbohydrates.

The negative connotation to a lo pobre is far gone, and you’ll find the below dishes in all kinds of restaurants around Lima and beyond. They are testament to Peruvians’ love of food and outrageous creativity.

These are the dishes you should try:

1. Arroz chaufa a lo pobre

The classic Peruvian Chinese fried rice is given a sweet note with fried plantains. Have your first bite covered with the runny yolk of the egg.

2. Hamburguesa a lo pobre

Popularized back in the 90s by the Peruvian fast food chain Bembos, this hamburger is packed to the max.

3. Bistec a lo pobre

The dish that started it all. A simple yet hearty meal.

4. Tallarines verdes a lo pobre

Pesto wouldn’t be complete without steak and an egg in Peru.

5. Lomo saltado a lo pobre

As if lomo saltado needed anything else to make it a complete meal. But, once you see it a lo pobre, you wonder how it could go without.

6. Tacu tacu a lo pobre

This dish is stacked. Created, so the story goes, for drivers in the city, this dish has become a popular staple in Peruvian cuisine. We recommend sharing this colossal of a dish.

Cover photo: Gaston Acurio Twitter Page

May 16, 2020

aji-de-gallina
Peru's Eating Guide
Recipe: How to Make Aji de Gallina, a Staple in Peru

Classic, creamy, slightly spicy and filling: this chicken dish is Peruvian soul food at its best. Here’s the recipe for how to make aji de gallina.

One of my all-time favorite Peruvian dishes is Aji de Gallina. Actually, the first time I ever ate it was in Chicago around 1995, prepared by my Peruvian sister-in-law. After that, I was hooked and had to find out how to make aji de gallina myself.

There are many versions of this popular dish. I find you can make it as simple or decadent as you like, depending on the ingredients you decide to use. Of course, chicken and aji pepper are the focal points of this dish. Some people use a combination of the dark meat and light meat of the chicken for this dish because the dark meat is moister, but I typically use chicken breasts.

The addition of bread, aji, nuts and cheese to the somewhat spicy chicken gives an added dimension to this very traditional dish. This is even better the next day for leftovers. 

Photo: Sheila Christensen Jeanneau

Tips

This can be a time-consuming dish to prepare, so to save time you can boil the chicken the day before and shred it.

Always use chicken broth or stock (homemade or store-bought) to parboil the chicken instead of plain water. It makes a big difference in the flavor of the chicken. 

You can make the aji mirasol or aji amarillo paste yourself, but it’s time consuming. I usually buy it homemade from the lady in my local mercado or at the store in a jar or package. 

  • Store-bought versions of aji amarillo
  • White bread, crusts cut off

I always use half evaporated milk (¾ cup) and half cream (¾ cup) for my recipe. But if you only have evaporated milk available, use 1 ½ cups of that. If you want the sauce to be extra creamy, add ½ cup more of the cream. 

I use the soft, white bread for this recipe. The cheaper, the better. For some reason the Bimbo’s brand here in Peru is perfect for this recipe. In the U.S., you would use the white Wonder Bread.

Aji de Gallina 

Serves 4-6 people 

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken (about 2 kg.) or the equivalent of 3 complete chicken breasts 
  • 1 medium to large chopped white onion
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 7-9 tablespoons aji mirasol paste or aji amarillo paste (you can use either)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil 
  • 10-12 slices white bread without the crust
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk 
  • ¾ cup whole milk or cream (leche entera or crema de leche) 
  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • 100 grams chopped pecans or walnuts (I prefer pecans, but walnuts are traditional) 
  • 125 grams grated Parmesan cheese 
  • 6-8 yellow potatoes 
  • 12 black olives, sliced in half 
  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 
  • Salt & pepper to taste 

Preparation:

  1. Parboil the chicken breasts or chicken in a pot of chicken broth for approximately 20 minutes and then leave them in there to cool. Once cool, remove and shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. 
  2. Crumble the bread, soak it in the milk/cream and put all of this mixture into a blender and blend until smooth (20 seconds). 
  3. In a large heavy pan, heat vegetable oil and sauté onion until golden. Add garlic and either the aji mirasol or aji amarillo paste and fry everything together well. 
  4. Add the soaked bread mixture to the pan and incorporate all. Cook on medium low for 10 minutes and then begin to add ladles of hot chicken broth, stirring frequently. Add broth each time the sauce thickens. While stirring constantly, add the olive oil. 
  5. Finally, you will add the shredded chicken, Parmesan cheese and nuts. If you find the mixture too thick, add a little more broth while gently stirring. Do not mash the chicken. Simmer the mixture until the oil begins to come to the surface. 
  6. Serve hot accompanied by rice and the yellow potatoes. You will use the black olives and hard-boiled egg slices as the garnish to decorate.
  • Onion and aji amarillo
  • Bread soaked in mild added in
  • Next, the Parmesan, nuts and chicken
  • Simmer chicken, adding in more broth or aji if desired
  • Thick and creamy Aji de Gallina ready for plating

Cover photo: Erick Andia. All other photos courtesy of Sheila Christensen Jeanneau

May 12, 2020

canary-beans
Peru's Eating Guide
Recipe: Canary Beans with Squash and Aji Amarillo

Batch cooking canary beans means less trips to the store, less time in the kitchen and less stress in life. Here’s a filling recipe to try this week.

With no delivery or restaurant options available in Peru due to lockdown, I’m left to cook every single day—which, to be honest, gets old really fast. Creating recipes or cooking with ingredients that have flexibility and easily reheat have been my main focus lately. For me, beans—from canary beans to tarwi—are the answer to both goals. They’re easy to cook in bulk and can be used in recipes throughout the week.

This recipe uses three of my favorite ingredients available in Peru. Canary beans (or canario), yellow pumpkin and aji amarillo. These are all available in most stores and markets in Peru. For those who have live abroad, you can likely find options for these ingredients so you can still cook up a batch.

  • Aji amarillo
  • Canary beans

Canary beans

Canary beans are yellow when dry but turn an off-white, beige color when cooked. The beans have a neutral flavor which easily absorbs the flavor of the accompanying ingredients. Not to mention, they cook up with a creamy texture. They remind me a lot of cannellini beans. These are generally available outside Peru in local grocery stores or online.

Zapallo (a.k.a. pumpkin)

Yellow pumpkin, referred to as zapallo or pumpkin depending on who you ask in Peru, is a part of the squash family. It doesn’t hold its shape when cooked but instead breaks apart making it perfect for soups or a bowl of beans. If you are back home, any winter squash such as butternut, kabocha or buttercup will work. The vegetable may stay more intact in your dish but will still taste great.

Aji amarillo

The aji amarillo is my favorite Peruvian aji pepper and I cook with it whenever I have the opportunity. It has a brilliant color and a slightly fruity flavor. I use an entire aji with seeds but if you prefer less heat, be sure to deseed your aji first. The easiest way to do this is to cut the aji in half lengthwise and scrape out the insides with a spoon. You can also add more or less aji depending on your desired level of spice.

If you are preparing this recipe outside of Peru and don’t have access to fresh aji amarillo, a paste made from the peppers is often available. Read more about sourcing Peruvian ingredients outside of Peru here.

Easy canary beans with squash and aji amarillo

Makes 5-6 cups

Ingredients

canary-beans
  • 1 small red onion, diced small
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 aji amarillo, deseeded and diced small
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 250 grams (8 oz) canary beans, soaked overnight
  • 4-6 cups vegetable broth (or water)
  • 3 cups zapallo (giant yellow squash) or winter squash, peeled and cut into cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Soak beans overnight. When ready to cook, drain off the water before cooking.
  2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium high heat. When hot, add onions and garlic and saute until onions are softened, about five minutes. Add chopped aji and cook just until it begins to soften.
  3. Add beans and enough liquid to cover the beans (about four cups). Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. After thirty minutes, add squash and more liquid as needed to cover beans and squash.
  5. Cook until beans are tender and fully cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ideas for using your canary beans throughout the week

Once you have your batch of beans cooked, eat them up in different presentations so you feel like each day is an exciting new meal. Here are some favorites:

  • Prepare a bowl by adding in some rice or quinoa
  • Top it off with some salsa criolla, salsa or even a fried egg
  • Eat leftovers in a tortilla topped with salsa criolla or avocado for a little Peruvian-Mexican fusion
  • Mash them up and mix with cooked rice to make another Peruvian favorite, vegetarian tacu tacu
  • Add some extra broth and veggies such as peas, carrots, or green beans to transform it into an easy soup
  • Serve it as a side dish with a protein of your choice

One batch of this canary bean recipe makes about 5-6 cups cooked. It also freezes well so cooking a double batch is a way to save some time and effort for future meals. Batch cooking beans means less trips to the store, less time in the kitchen and less stress in life.

All photos by Lyn Croyle/CookEatLiveLove.com

April 28, 2020

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