A Taste Of Peru
Peruvian cuisine is now firmly on the world stage. Winning many international awards and having some of the best restaurants in the world showcasing it on their menus, Peru attracts hungry foodies from every corner of the globe to experience its culinary style.
With a country as large and diverse as Peru it’s not hard to imagine that each region offers something different, and this diversity is arguably best shown in the kitchen. With its growing popularity outside of the country the passion for cooking and patriotism is growing too. With young chefs not afraid of adopting new ideas, the traditional recipes are twisted and shaped into something modern and unique. Fusion cooking is exciting, and they have truly remastered resourceful cooking and reinvented the way the country eats food.
Here are our top five Peruvian foods that we just couldn’t stop eating during our time in the country:
Canchita's & causa from one of Lima’s many traditional Cevicherias.
Canchitas; A type of corn that is grown throughout the country and served as a snack in bars or restaurants as you sit down, or above the cashier in a local shop these are the go-to snack for Peruvians and was our perfect accompaniment at any time of the day. With a dry middle and a salty shell they make the perfect beer drinking food and when we realised you can buy them raw for a fraction of the price our daily salt intake took a sharp rise (unsurprisingly as well as beer!). With a splash of oil over a high heat you shake them in a saucepan like popcorn for 3-4 minutes until brown then with a sprinkle of salt and a cold drink you’re set for the night.
Causa; Second to ceviche on the list of ‘things Peruvians are proud of’ comes potatoes. It’s a commonly known fact that Peru has over 3000 types of potatoes, a quote that is often printed randomly on menus, billboards or hotel walls. Peru was where the first humble potato was found which was later taken back to the now potato loving UK. We settled for a handful of varieties in comparison to the multi-varietal melting pot of potatoes in Peru. Looking like something out of a 90s gourmet restaurant their most delicious potato based dish in my eyes is causa. Creamy yellow mashed potato stacked on avocado, crab or tuna mayonnaise and then more creamy mashed potato with a killer combination of spices is a starter that you may choose to order again for dessert. Shared alongside ceviche was a regular choice for us when eating out and I can assure you we were never disappointed.
Pollo a la Brasa; Fresh off the rotisserie is the chicken, seasoned in a way that almost tastes like your grandmother's Boxing Day ham, the Andean favourite pastime is without a doubt sharing a litre of Inca Kola over a whole Pollo a la Brasa (roast chicken). Spending time in other South American countries it’s fair to say that chicken is the meat of choice, with enormous amounts eaten with every meal of the day. We felt like chicken connoisseurs even before arriving in the Andes but unlike any chicken we had ever tasted, this comes top of the chicken coop. Don’t be afraid to share as the chickens over here seem to be packing more meat than at home.
Fresh ceviche from a street stall in Lima, Peru.
Ceviche; This has to be Peru’s national dish. As proud as the French are of their wine, the Peruvians are serious about ceviche and rightly so. Typically eaten for lunch, we were sometimes hard pressed to find it anytime after 2 but when you see the hoards of workers descend on any ceviche outlet just after 12 there’s no surprise that they quickly sell out of fish. We sampled every inch of the ceviche spectrum, from $1 beach ceviche eaten with a toothpick, ceviche served in the top restaurants in Lima, to the family recipe lovingly homemade during our stays with our artisans. Although the quality of fish certainty differs the overall ceviche was always consistently delicious with the lime salt chilli combo always giving you a taste for more.
Lucuma; Although not seen as a dish in its own right, this meaty fruit is any young healthy Peruvians go-to flavour. Much like the Aussies are mad about avocado, Peruvians hail the mighty lucuma. A pretty unexciting looking fruit from the outside, looking like a spherical smooth green avocado, inside it holds a stone with a thick meaty yellow layer of fruit. Eaten on its own isn’t really done , however a lucuma blended with your choice of milk or sugary water is a delicious energy boost enjoyed at any time of the day. Packed full of superfood goodness the thick shake is a great snack that sits fairly light on your stomach. We came across an array of different food types that were prepared with lucuma but desserts and sweet treats hit the spot - a cafe that made a lucuma cheesecake out did the rest, keeping us coming back for more.
These were 5 of our favourite things to eat in Peru, however we barely scratched the surface when it comes to the gastronomy they have to offer. If you are planning a trip to Peru I would advise just getting stuck in. The high-end restaurants are truly amazing, offering some of the cheapest gourmet food in the world. However for me, the quality and variation of market restaurants, street food or ‘hole in the wall’ style eateries where the menu of the day is scribbled on a whiteboard was the reason why Peru is such an exciting place to embark on a culinary adventure.
What’s your flavour? We would love to know what Peruvian food you loved & if there’s anything we need to try on our return.
