Peru
Some Peruvian Dishes
Papa a la Huancaina: Sliced Boiled Potatoes covered in a cheesy, slightly spicy yellow sauce (which contains Turmeric) served on top of lettuce. This dish is usually garnished with a quarter of a hard-boiled egg and sometimes with olives too.
Anticuchos: Skewered meat (brochettes) that are sold throughout the streets of Peru and of course in restaurants. We recommend that you ask what type of meat it is before ordering one, as the most general kind is called anticucho de corazón, which is marinated beef hearts grilled on a stick.
Lomo Saltado: Peruvians take strips of steak and sauté it with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, chilies, onions and tomatoes. It is then served over a bed of rice with a large helping of chips (french fries). It is often served with a small side of salad too. It is a hearty meal that is served in many of the cheaper restaurants.
Ceviche: There are many different variations of the dish which can be found in almost every restaurant in Peru. It is generally made with bite size chunks of raw white fish, normally sea bass. The fish is marinated in lemon / lime juice, onions and chilies. Traditionally it is served with boiled sweet potatoes or corn.
Aji de Gallina: Shredded chicken is cooked with a sauce of milk, onions, chilies, garlic, walnuts and cheese. It is served over rice and is a favorite of many Peruvians and tourists alike.
Causa: A traditional causa layers potato and avocado into a sort of casserole, which is sliced and served cold. Other layers might contain tuna, meat, or hard-boiled egg.
Rocoto Relleno: What appears to be a plain-old red bell pepper is actually a fiery Capsicum pubescens (at least ten times as hot as a jalapeño when raw, but boiled to reduce its thermonuclear properties), stuffed with spiced, sautéed ground beef and hard-boiled egg. This is topped with melted white cheese, baked, and served whole.
Pollo a la Brasa: This Peruvian-style roast chicken is so delicious—and popular—that it’s now available in cities around the globe. The secret is marinating the bird in soy sauce flavored with red peppers, garlic, and cumin, which gives the meat and skin a smoky, salty taste.
Anticuchos: Skewered meat (brochettes) that are sold throughout the streets of Peru and of course in restaurants. We recommend that you ask what type of meat it is before ordering one, as the most general kind is called anticucho de corazón, which is marinated beef hearts grilled on a stick.
Lomo Saltado: Peruvians take strips of steak and sauté it with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, chilies, onions and tomatoes. It is then served over a bed of rice with a large helping of chips (french fries). It is often served with a small side of salad too. It is a hearty meal that is served in many of the cheaper restaurants.
Ceviche: There are many different variations of the dish which can be found in almost every restaurant in Peru. It is generally made with bite size chunks of raw white fish, normally sea bass. The fish is marinated in lemon / lime juice, onions and chilies. Traditionally it is served with boiled sweet potatoes or corn.
Aji de Gallina: Shredded chicken is cooked with a sauce of milk, onions, chilies, garlic, walnuts and cheese. It is served over rice and is a favorite of many Peruvians and tourists alike.
Causa: A traditional causa layers potato and avocado into a sort of casserole, which is sliced and served cold. Other layers might contain tuna, meat, or hard-boiled egg.
Rocoto Relleno: What appears to be a plain-old red bell pepper is actually a fiery Capsicum pubescens (at least ten times as hot as a jalapeño when raw, but boiled to reduce its thermonuclear properties), stuffed with spiced, sautéed ground beef and hard-boiled egg. This is topped with melted white cheese, baked, and served whole.
Pollo a la Brasa: This Peruvian-style roast chicken is so delicious—and popular—that it’s now available in cities around the globe. The secret is marinating the bird in soy sauce flavored with red peppers, garlic, and cumin, which gives the meat and skin a smoky, salty taste.
Peruvian Desserts
Picarones: These look like thin donuts (with a biggish hole in the center) that are not perfectly round. They are a type of pumpkin fritters which are normally served with syrup on top. It is sweet, but not overly so, and it is a filling dessert or snack.
Lucuma ice cream: This 'nutty' flavored, orange colored fruit can frequently be found in Peruvian desserts. Peru is the only place in the world that has a large production of the lucuma fruit, although you will also find smaller lucuma farms throughout South America. The most common way to find this unique flavor is in ice-cream.
Mazamorra Morada: This is a purple jelly-like dessert that gets its color from one of its ingredients, maiz morado or purple corn.
Alfajores: The basic recipe uses a base mix of flour, key lime rind, margarine, and powdered sugar, which is oven-baked. Alfajores consist of two or more layers of this baked pastry, and is usually filled with either manjar blanco (a caramel-colored, sweet, creamy filling made with milk and sugar) or molasses.
Suspiro a la Limeña: The bottom layer is made of dulce de leche enriched with egg yolks. The top layer consists of meringue made with port wine.
Arroz con leche (rice-pudding): It consists primarily of cooked rice, cinnamon/nutmeg, raisins, and milk.
Lucuma ice cream: This 'nutty' flavored, orange colored fruit can frequently be found in Peruvian desserts. Peru is the only place in the world that has a large production of the lucuma fruit, although you will also find smaller lucuma farms throughout South America. The most common way to find this unique flavor is in ice-cream.
Mazamorra Morada: This is a purple jelly-like dessert that gets its color from one of its ingredients, maiz morado or purple corn.
Alfajores: The basic recipe uses a base mix of flour, key lime rind, margarine, and powdered sugar, which is oven-baked. Alfajores consist of two or more layers of this baked pastry, and is usually filled with either manjar blanco (a caramel-colored, sweet, creamy filling made with milk and sugar) or molasses.
Suspiro a la Limeña: The bottom layer is made of dulce de leche enriched with egg yolks. The top layer consists of meringue made with port wine.
Arroz con leche (rice-pudding): It consists primarily of cooked rice, cinnamon/nutmeg, raisins, and milk.
Peruvian Drinks
Chicha Morada: Purple maize is boiled with chunks of pineapple,
quinces, cinnamon and cloves in water until the maize is soft and the liquid
has taken on the deep purple color. After straining sugar a little lime juice
is added. Cooled and served with small pieces of apples Chicha Morada is
popular with young and old and a really delicious drink.
Peruvian Limonada: Lemonade is known around the world. The Peruvian version is made of water, the characteristic small Peruvian limes and a little bit of preferable brown sugar. Chilled and served with ice cubes it's a refreshing drink in summer.
Star fruit juice and Chirimoya juice: Because of the large amount of fruit that is grown in the area you will find all kinds of new juices.
Té / Maté de Coca: It is a tea made with the coca leaf. It is often served when you first arrive at a hostel and truly helps if you happen to have one of those pounding headaches from altitude sickness. Many Peruvians chew the leaves in the back of their mouths a they walk around town or climb one of the many Andean mountains.
Peruvian Limonada: Lemonade is known around the world. The Peruvian version is made of water, the characteristic small Peruvian limes and a little bit of preferable brown sugar. Chilled and served with ice cubes it's a refreshing drink in summer.
Star fruit juice and Chirimoya juice: Because of the large amount of fruit that is grown in the area you will find all kinds of new juices.
Té / Maté de Coca: It is a tea made with the coca leaf. It is often served when you first arrive at a hostel and truly helps if you happen to have one of those pounding headaches from altitude sickness. Many Peruvians chew the leaves in the back of their mouths a they walk around town or climb one of the many Andean mountains.