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Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the most diverse in the world. Thanks to its pre-Incan and Inca heritage and to Spanish , Africa n, French , Sino - Cantonese , Japanese and Italian immigration (mainly throughout the 19th Century ) it combines the flavors of four continents. With this eclectic variety of traditional dishes, the Peruvian culinary arts are in constant evolution, and impossible to list in their entirety. Suffice it to mention that along the Peruvian coast alone there are more than two thousand different types of Soup s, and that there are more than 250 traditional Dessert s. There are many restaurants specializing in Peruvian cuisine in many different cities throughout the world. The great variety in Peruvian cuisine stems from three major influences:
GRANARY OF THE WORLD de mariscos.]] "Peru is one of the most important countries on planet Earth, because of the great wealth of its natural resources and its contribution to the well-being of the world. Without it, the world would be poor and famished." :- Antonio Brack Egg Peru is considered one of the most important centers of the world's Genetic Diversity :
From Peru, the Spanish brought back to Europe foods which would become Staples for many peoples around the world.
From its interaction with Africa through Spain, Peru imported diverse foods such as bananas, and Yams . CULTIVATION OF ANCIENT PLANTS ]] is served]] Some plants that have been cultivated by the ancient societies of Peru have now been rediscovered by modern Peruvians and are carefully studied by scientists. Due to the characteristics of its land and climate and due to the nutritional quality of its products, some Peruvian plants will play a vital role in the nutrition of the future: this is true for Quinoa , which is an excellent source of Essential Amino Acids , and Kañiwa which appear to be and are prepared like cereals but are not cereals. Root Vegetable s such as Maca and real cereals like Kiwicha are also plants nutritionists are researching today. For many of Peru's inhabitants, these foodstocks allow for adequate nutrition even though living standards are poor. The abandoning of many of these staples during the Spanish domination and republican eras has brought down nutritional levels in the country. Some of these foodstocks have been used since 1985 by NASA for astronaut food, like quinoa, kiwicha and maca. REGIONAL DIFFERENCES The cuisine of the coast The for use in livestock feed. Its richness in fish and other aquatic life is enormous, and many oceanic plant and animal species can only be found in Peru. As important as the Pacific is to Peru's biodiversity, freshwater biomes such as the Amazon River and Lake Titicaca also play a large role in the ecological make-up of the country. Every coastal region, being distinct in Flora and Fauna populations, adapts its cuisine in accordance to the resources available in its waters. Ceviche , with its many different variations (pure, combination, or mixed with fish and shellfish) is a good example of this regional adaptation. The ''chupe de camarones'' (shrimp soup) is one of the most sophisticated dishes of Peruvian coastal cuisine. It is made from a thick shrimp stock soup, potatoes, Milk and Chili Pepper . The cuisine of Lima A center of immigration, Lima has incorporated unique dishes brought there from other regions and cultures. Since the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors, Peru has received many waves of immigrants: African, European, Chinese, and Japanese. Besides international immigration—a large portion of which happened in Lima—there has been, since the second half of the 20th century, a strong internal flow from rural areas to cities, in particular to Lima. This has strongly influenced Lima's cuisine with the incorporation of the immigrant's ingredients and techniques (for example, the Chinese extensive use of rice or the Japanese approach to preparing raw fish). city. Some international cuisines with a large presence include Chinese (known locally as Chifa) and Italian. The city's ubiquitous bakeries are another culinary treasure. The cuisine of the Andes In the valleys and plains of the Andes , the locals' diet continues to be based on corn (maize), potatoes, and an assortment of tubers as it has been for many hundreds of years. Meat comes from indigenous animals like Alpaca s and Guinea Pig s, but also from imported livestock like Sheep and Swine . As with many Rural cultures, most of the more elaborate dishes were reserved for festivities, while daily meals were simple affairs. Nowadays, the festive dishes are consumed every day, although they tend to be on the heavy side and demand a large appetite. The Pachamanca is a very special banquet in and of itself. Cooked all over the Andean region of Peru, is made from a variety of meats (including pork and beef), herbs and a variety of vegetables that are slowly cooked underground on a bed of heated stones. It demands skillful cooks to create and a large number of guests to consume. Because of its tedious preparation it is normally only done for celebrations or festivals in the Andes. Andean cooking's main freshwater fish is the Trout , raised in fisheries in the region. Currently, Ostrich meat is being raised from farms in Arequipa , although its consumption is not widespread and limited to urban areas. The cuisine of the jungle 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, two standouts are the Paiche (the world's largest freshwater fish) and Turtles . Hunting turtles is prohibited in Peru, therefore turtle-based dishes are scarce and expensive and not sold ''à la carte'' in restaurants. Among the fruits of Peru's jungle is the Camu Camu , which contains 40 times more Vitamin C than the Kiwi . Exotic fruits such as Mango and Pineapple are also in abundance. ''EL CHIFA'' ''Chifa'' 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. In downtown Lima , on Capón Street, is the ''barrio chino'' ( Chinatown ). The great variety of savory and sweet dishes there, with different types of meats, vegetables, and soups, created a new culinary alternative for Peruvians. SOME TYPICAL MAIN DISHES OF PERUVIAN CUISINE Peruvian cuisine is often made spicy by means of ''ají'' or Chili Pepper , a basic ingredient. Some Peruvian chili peppers are not spicy but serve to give 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. Fine Peruvian cuisine emphasizes the mix of colors and ingredients. The following are just a few of the many dishes which are generally popular with the Peruvians. Some of these originated in other parts of Peru but most are well known and can be found in some part of Lima . Anticuchos are made from a beef heart marinated in a spicy sauce and often accompanied by boiled potatos. They are commonly sold by street vendors and served shish kabob-style. Also frequently sold by street vendors are Tamales : boiled corn with meat or cheese and wrapped in a banana leaf. They are similar to humitas, which consist of corn mixed with spices, sugar, onions, filled with pork and olives and finally wrapped in the leaves of corn husks. Another favorite food to be found in many restaurants is (Huancayo-style potatoes), a dish consisting of sliced boiled potatoes, served on a bed of lettuce with a slightly spicy cheese sauce with olives. Originating in Huancayo , it is now popular throughout most of Peru. Ceviche is the flagship dish of coastal cuisine, and one of Peru's favorites. It is the quintessence of fusion: Andean chili peppers, Mediterranean onions and lemon, and the Japanese approach to eating raw fish. A spicy dish, it consists generally of bite-size pieces of white fish (such as ''corvina'' or white sea bass), marinated raw in lime or lemon juice mixed with chilis. Ceviche is served with raw onions, boiled sweet potatoes (''camote''), corn (''cancha''), and sometimes a local green seaweed ''yuyo''. Leche de tigre (tiger's milk), is the Peruvian colloquial name for the juice produced from the ingredients of ceviche. It has a light spicy flavor and serves as a good reconstituent. Local custom recommends ceviche as a breakfast for sleepwalkers, a hangover cure and as an aphrodisia. Tiradito is a younger brother of ceviche, and shows more clearly the influence that Japanese cooks have had in Peru's seafood cuisine (though some suggest that it's closer to Italian Carpaccio , popularized by Genovese immigrants). The fish is sliced in fine strips (about 6 cm by 2 cm) that are similar to Sashimi , and then marinated in a mix of lime juice, ginger and ''ají limo''. Unlike ceviche, tiradito lacks onions, which translates into a subtler taste. Papa Rellena (stuffed potato) - mashed potatoes stuffed with ground (minced) meat, eggs, olives and various spices and then deep fried. Sancochado - A hearty beef and vegetable stew which includes ''yuca'' ( Cassava ) and ''camotes'' (sweet potatoes). A local staple found in many cheaper, as well as more up-market, restaurants is , sliced beef fried with potato chips (French fries), tomato, onion, vinegar, and chili and served with rice. Lima has an abundance of Chinese restaurants or chifas as they are known locally and the Arroz Chaufa or Chinese style rice is one of the frequently sampled dishes that has found its way into Peruvian cuisine. , or rice with chicken, is enjoyed for its rich-flavored rice combined with chicken. Chupe de pescado or fish chowder is popular in Lima and along the coast. Lima bean (pallares) salad - a salad made with (obviously) Peruvian Lima beans (called ''pallares'' in Perú), boiled (but still whole) and mixed (when cooled) with a "salsa" of onions, slices of tomatoes, and green ''ají'' (chili), marinated in green Peruvian lime juice, oil, salt, and vinager. Lima beans (''pallares'') have been part of the Peruvian cuisine for at least 6,000 years! Butifarras - a sandwich in a hamburger-type bread roll and consisting of Peruvian ham with a special spicy sauce. Causa in its basic form is a mashed yellow potato dumpling mixed with lemon, onion, chili and oil. Varieties can have tuna or chicken added to the mixture. Also Causa is very popular in Lima which distinguishes this dish by saying Causa Limeña Causa is usually served cold with hard boiled eggs and olives. Carapulcra is an appetizing dish of pork and chicken, dried potatoes, red chilis, peanuts and cumin. Empanadas peruanas (Peruvian meat pies. These are not to be confused with the meat pies found in many Western countries and they have a unique taste due to the addition of olives and hard boiled eggs). (chili chicken) is a chicken served with a creamy yellow and spicy sauce, made basically with ''ají amarillo'' (yellow chilis), cheese, milk, bread, and Walnuts . Escabeche (pickled fish) - "Escabeche" when the word is used alone normally refers to escabeche of fish. Other varieties can use duck or chicken. The escabeche dishes rely in the cooking on the heavy use of vinegar and onions together with other spices and chili. Cau Cau is a meal consisting of ''mondongo'' or Tripe stew and accompanied by rice. Chicharrones - a dish consisting of deep-fried (in its own fat) and heavily salted pork. Seco De Cabrito (goat stew, but goat is often sustituted by lamb, chicken, or beef) is ed in a pot after marinating with Chicha de jora or beer and other spices including fresh coriander leaves ( Cilantro ) and garlic. Cuy chactado - A dish more popular in the highlands is this meal of fried guinea pig. Often the indigenous women of the Peruvian Andes will raise the guinea pigs in their huts where they run around loose on the floors of the dwellings. Prior to consumption they can reach a surprisingly large size. Besides the use of guinea pigs as separate meals, they are often cooked in a Pachamanca with other meats and vegetables. Olluquito con charqui is another typical Andean dish. Olluco is a yellowish tuber (''Ullucus tuberosus''), already domesticated by pre-Inca populations, while charqui is the technique employed in the Andean highlands to dehydrate meat. The dish is a stew of finely diced ollucos with charqui pieces (traditionally llama meat), served with white rice. Rocoto Relleno - stuffed Rocoto chilis. Rocotos are one of the very hot (spicy) chilis of Peru. In this dish they are stuffed with spiced pork mix. SOME OTHER DISHES WHICH ARE MORE CONFINED TO REGIONAL AREAS Chalona is a cured meat originally obtained from Alpaca but today Lamb is often substituted. Its origins are not very clear, but it is presumed that it comes from the Incan empire. It is used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes of the Puno region, Cusco , and Arequipa . It is prepared using recently-cured lamb in which furrows are made with a knife in order for the salt to penetrate into the meat. The process of salt penetration is important, because from this depends how long the cured meat will last. The meat is left to dry in the sun and cold nights for almost one month. Chairo - This is a typical soup of the Puno region, consisting of Chuño , Sweet Potatoes , and ''chalona''. Ocopa - This is a dish with some similarities to Papas a la Huancaina. It consists of boiled and sliced yellow potatoes covered with a sauce of walnuts, chilis, and fresh or white cheese and seved with lettuce. Copús is one of the best known dishes of Piura . Its ingredients are ripe fried bananas, ''camotes'' (sweet potatoes), and seasoned hen, turkey, goat, and mutton. The meat is cooked in a furnace under the ground; this method is different from using a Pachamanca since the furnace is covered with blankets and clay. Ceviche de conchas negras (''ceviche'' with black shells) is a dish of Chimbote . The typical Ceviche of Peru's north coast, called ceviche de conchas negras, is also popular along the coast of Ecuador . In this version of ''ceviche'', the seafood used in the dish should be black Clams accompanied by popcorn and/or toasted corn. Yuca chupe or cassava soup is one of the variations in which the Peruvians enjoy Cassava . Crema de tarwi (tarwi soup) - Tarwi is a vegetable native to the mountains of Bolivia , Ecuador , and Peru . In addition to its use in soup, tarwi is used in much of Peruvian cuisine, including in ''sancochado''. Fresh tarwi can be used in stews, purees, sauces, desserts and in a variation of cebiche. In some areas, locals call it Chocho . Its cultivation has recently expanded to all the countries of the Andean region. In Peru, it is principally grown in the areas of Cajamarca , Ancash , the Mantaro Valley , Ayacucho , Cusco , and Puno . Tarwi can also be found in beverages (such as papaya juice with tarwi flour). Tarwi has been shown to have a higher vegetable protein content than Soy .In pre-Incan and Incan times, it was an important part of the mostly vegetarian diet of the region. It was consumed with small quantities of meat and dried fish, providing an abundant source of protein for the population. Tarwi seeds have been found in Nazca tombs and in representations of Tiahuanaco ceramics. SWEET DISHES AND DESSERTS Alfajor es - a common dessert made in several varieties. The basic recipe makes use of a base mix of flour, lemon rind, margarine, and powdered sugar which is then oven-baked. Alfajores consist of two or more layers of this baked pastry, and is usually filled with either ''manjarblanco'' (a sort of milk caramel) or molasses. Turrones (similar to Fudge ) are of several varieties. One common variety to be found in Lima is Turrón de Doña Pepa, an anise and honey nougat that is traditionally prepared for the Señor de los Milagros (or Lord of Miracles) procession, during October. ''Turrones'' are most commonly made from almonds, and can be found in Spanish-speaking countries all over the world. Helados (ice cream) - Peru has the usual assortment of different common ice cream flavors but also some more exotic flavors such as '' Lúcuma '' (an exclusively and tasty Peruvian fruit), '' Camu Camu '', ''guaraná'' and ''tuna'', the latter being the local name for the fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus , and not to be confused with the fish. Mazamorra morada - a jelly-like dessert which takes on the color of one of its main ingredients—purple maize. Picarones - a sweet, ring-shaped fritter with a pumpkin base; often served with a molasses syrup =Beverages= SOFT DRINKS Well-known soft drinks include:
Less common are:
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS '' Pisco '', a kind of Brandy , is considered by many to be the national drink of Peru. This Distilled Beverage made from Grape s is produced in various regions of the country. Pisco Sour is a cocktail made from ''pisco'' combined with lemon juice, the white of an egg and sugar. Wine s 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, from Arequipa and Cuzco , respectively; though Cuzqueña is popular nationwide and is exported worldwide. A common beer drinking ritual among many Peruvian men involves a group sharing one glass. The party holding the bottle waits for the prior person to drink from the glass before receiving that glass, filling it and passing the bottle on to the next in line. While this custom is more common among men of lower echelons of society, people of higher social status, specially youngsters, and also women, take part in this custom. Chicha or Chicha de Jora is another well-known drink, based on fermented Maize and different aromatic Herb s. Its consumption is mostly limited to the Andes area. =References=
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PHOTO CREDITS Photos courtesy of , Wikipedia Editor "Xauxa" and Manuel González Olaechea |
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