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Saturday, April 12, 2014

Peru Trending


"Peruvian cuisine" is one of the Top 50 hot trends for 2014, according to the National Restaurant Association. I do not know if they expect specific Peruvian dishes to make it into restaurants at large (a cuy sandwich at McDonald's?) or if we are to expect a sudden increase in Peruvian restaurants.

To be fair, Peru has one of the more varied influences in the Latin American landscape. Most countries in Spanish speaking countries have, at a minimum, Spaniards and slaves (with a predominance of West African countries) to thank for their national dishes.

Peru boasts not only Spanish cuisine and African influences, but it adds Chinese and Japanese cuisines, Italian and German, and the ancient and native cuisine of the Inca (hello, quinoa!).

The holy trinity of Peruvian staples are simple and yet, influential beyond their borders: chili peppers, corn, and potatoes. To that, add the staples of each group that has made a home out of the country and you have the ultimate trend-setter in fusion cuisine.

Probably the most widely known Peruvian culinary tradition is a piece of fusion cuisine: ceviche – which combines marinated raw fish (Japanese), with chili peppers (Andean) and red onions marinated in lime (Spaniard). This is a simplified explanation, of course, and it doesn't take into account the complexity of the dish.


For the few unfamiliar with the idea, the lime marinade cooks the fish and gives it a delicate taste. The leftover liquid from the citrus marinade can be ingested as well and said to be a delicacy called leche de tigre (tiger's milk).

The other thing that makes Peru quite special, besides multicultural diversity, is diversity in its geographical landscapes. Peru has mountains (Andes), valleys (including land bordering The Amazon), and a Pacific Ocean-facing coastline.

This means that they grow a great number of indigenous roots and tubers, fruits and vegetables, grains and beans; have an abundance of fish and seafood; and their diet also includes the troika of meat sources (chicken, pork and beef). You can find omnivore, vegan, and pescetarian recipes in their national repertoire of dishes.


There are several fruits, indigenous to the Andes that I grew up with in Puerto Rico, and which are available here at produce stands. I am not certain how widely available these may be across the nation, but if you can find any of these, I highly recommend you try them out.

Guanábana, also known soursop, a somewhat pear-shaped fruit with a green, prickly skin. The flesh (pulp, if you wish) is white and has bean-sized black seeds. It is sour, though not overly so and its flavor is a combination of coconut milk with a citrus base. It may be eaten as is, you can juice it, make it into thick, creamy shakes, ice cream or frozen fruit bars.


Papaya is probably the most popular of their native fruit and comes in yellow and green skins, shaped like over-sized mangoes and sometimes pear shaped. The flesh varies from a salmon color to a light red, and along the center of the fruit a fibrous wall holds the seeds—which are spicy and peppery and edible. The ripen fruit is usually eaten uncooked, although it may be cooked too (and made into jelly). I understand that some people bake papayas. Of course, it also is a staple in fresh fruit salsas.
Mamey, also known as mamee apples, are round and have a dark skin (usually brown). Once you cut them, they have a large seed like an avocado. The flesh is yellow to orange, and can be relatively soft and juicy depending on ripeness, although texture varies. It is naturally sweet, but not overly so. It can be a little bitter, but it is made into jams and jellies, fruit salads, and even fermented into a liqueur.

Both guanábana and papaya nectar and juice can be used in rum-based cocktails and also as a base for meat tenderizers and BBQ sauces, and in curries or chutneys.

My next adventure will be to try the pitaya, or Dragon Fruit. It is one of the coolest looking things you'll ever set eyes on. They come with red skins and either red or white flesh with tiny seeds (black specs). I understand they might sour, but cannot describe them as I haven't bought one yet. Still, who wouldn't want some of this? Look at it, it's awesome!


UPDATE: If you enjoyed this article and the recipes in it, you can link to its companion piece, a dedicated Pinterest board you can refer to any time.




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