World cuisines - Peru

The three most traditional Peruvian ingredients are corn, potatoes and beans. It may sound boring, but different dishes are created from it, which are gaining popularity in the world. Due to the different climates in Peru, the cuisine is diverse and varies from region to region.

Ceviche - the king of the coastal region

From the coastal areas comes the traditional Ceviche, which can be found in almost all Peruvian restaurants. It is a seafood dish that is typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in lemon juice and seasoned with chili. Sometimes they add onions, salt, and pepper. Ceviche is served together with dishes that complement its taste, in Peru these are usually corn and sweet potatoes. There are many different types of Ceviche and in Lima you can find from the simplest to the most luxurious versions. Ceviche is so popular that a juice called Tiger's Milk has been created from its ingredients. It is made from Ceviche ingredients and has a slightly hot taste. Many believe that tiger milk is an aphrodisiac and the best remedy for a hangover.

The capital with its cuisine

The capital has a strong immigrant influence - African, European, Chinese and Japanese. From the latter, they adopted the frequent use of raw fish, while the Chinese contributed to the frequent use of rice.

Lima has a lot of Chinese restaurants with a Peruvian touch, called "chifas". This is mainly about Chinese rice dishes, which are cooked with Peruvian ingredients. One of the dishes popular in this part of the country is anticuchos, which is also considered cheap and accessible by the locals at street "anticucharnica". It is meat marinated in vinegar and spices such as cumin, garlic and ají chili. These meat skewers can be made from any kind of meat, but the most popular is beef heart. We also find these tamales from street vendors - boiled corn with meat or cheese wrapped in banana leaves, which the locals eat for breakfast. An interesting dish is Papa rellena - fried potatoes stuffed with minced meat, egg, olives and various spices, and the very popular Pollo a la brasa - roasted chicken in marinade, served with various sauces.

In the Andes, there is a pike, and in the jungle, the Paiche fish

In the area near the Andes, the cuisine is based on corn, potatoes and beans, and as for meat, alpaca and guinea pig are used a lot. An interesting dish is pachamanca, a type of shortbread that is cooked throughout the Andean region. Different types of meat, wrapped in banana leaves, spices and vegetables are slowly cooked with the help of hot stones. The diet of the jungle has its own peculiarities with its fauna and flora. Paiche fish is the most famous, but they also prepare pilaf in different ways. Among the fruits, camu camu plays a dominant role, containing forty times more vitamin C than kiwi.

Desserts with a touch of Spain

Most of the desserts popular in Peru have Spanish roots, but due to the absence of certain ingredients, they have adapted them in their own way. Nougat made from honey and anise is hidden under the interesting name Turrón de Doña Pepa. Another popular dessert is rice pudding, which consists of boiled rice, cinnamon or nutmeg, raisins and milk. Among the drinks, it is necessary to mention the Chicha Morada juice made from purple corn, cinnamon and sugar, and among the alcoholic drinks there is the traditional Pisco, a type of brandy from which the famous Pisco Sour cocktail is made. The original origin of this drink remains an eternal debate between Chile and Peru. Wherever it comes from, they make a great one in Peru. Hello!

Typical ingredients of Peruvian cuisine:

• Corn - as many as 35 different types of corn are known in Peru, but only two are on the table every day. These are long corn, which is not sweet, and purple corn, which is only used for the chicho morado drink.

 

• Beans - along with corn and potatoes make up the three most common ingredients of Peruvian cuisine and are used everywhere.

 

• Potatoes - come from the regions of southern Peru and are indispensable on the table. Peruvian potatoes are said to have a winning combination of flavor and texture.

 

• Quinoa is a grain that is also called the mother of all seeds or a super-crop, high in protein, gluten-free and cholesterol-free. Local people have been using it for thousands of years, but in recent years its popularity has spread to the world.

 

• Kiwicha - another cereal that belongs to the Peruvian "super grains". It originates from the high areas of the Peruvian Andes.

 

• Chili - the local ají chili is to be thanked for the fact that Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the hottest in South America.

 

• Fish - the frequent use of raw fish comes from Japanese cuisine, even in the most famous dish Ceviche. The most famous fish is the Paiche, but also fishing in the jungle areas is something everyday.

 

• Meat - chicken, pork, mutton and beef appear most often in dishes.

 

• Rice - although Peru is the home of the potato, rice also appears in many dishes, including desserts.

 

• Fruits - the most famous is camu camu, which contains forty times more vitamin C than kiwi, besides avocados, mangoes, bananas, papayas, passion fruit, ...