5 Must-Try Peruvian Foods

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Peru's cuisine is as diverse as its topography. With the Pacific Ocean on its western border, the Andes Mountains running its length, and the Amazon Rain Forest in southeast, the varied climate and biodiversity provide much to eat. Peru has a multiethnic culture, with influences from American Indians, Spain, and elsewhere in Europe, Africa, and Asia. This is also reflected in their cuisine. Here's a primer of what kind of dishes to expect when visiting a Peruvian restaurant like Inka Grill.

Anticuchos

This dish is similar to shish kebab, frequently found in Mediterranean cuisine. It is simply marinated stew meat, skewered and grilled. The marinade consists of vinegar, to tenderize the meat, and cumin, garlic, and chili peppers. Beef heart is commonly used for anticuchos, but also octopus, chicken, and chorizo sausage.

Ceviche

This dish of fresh fish and seafood "cooked" in acid is the national dish of Peru. The country also celebrates "Día Nacional del Ceviche," or National Ceviche Day on June 28^th each year. Corvina bass is the traditional fish used. It is prepared with bitter orange or key lime juice, onions, and chili peppers. Sole, shark, mussels, octopus, squid, and scallops are also commonly used. It is typically served with corn on the cob, plantains, and sweet potatoes.

Pachamanca

This dish is cooked similar to a New England clam bake. Meat, generally lamb, mutton, or pork is marinated in spices and then wrapped in banana leaves. Dozens of stones are heated over a hot fire. The meat, along with potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, yucca, and cassava are placed on the stones and then covered with soil and grass. After about two hours, it is unearthed and ready to eat. This dish is usually prepared for a large gathering, as a pig roast would be.

Arroz Con Pato Peruano

Peruvians eat a lot of duck and other waterfowl. This dish consists of a duck leg braised in dark beer and served with locally harvested rice that is bright green from the addition of a lot of freshly chopped cilantro leaves and peas. It is served with Salsa Criolla, the most popular relish in Peru. It is made from sliced red onions, aji amarillo, which is a bright orange pepper common in Peruvian cuisine, and fresh cilantro, all marinated in olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice.

Cuy

Many South American families raise guinea pigs in their backyard but not as pets; they are a common, easy, and inexpensive meat source. They are usually baked or grilled whole, complete with the head and teeth still intact, and taste similar to rabbit or wild birds. Cuy usually is served with ají huacatay, a green salsa that tastes reminiscent of mint.  

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5 December 2016