Peruvian gastronomy is the ideal excuse to tour Peru and get to know the dishes that characterize each of its places and regions!
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Its culinary history dates back to the Inca culture with its variety of potatoes, corn and spices. Later, the Spaniards introduced products such as grapes, olives, chicken, meats and dairy products and, finally, in the 19th century, with immigration came Asian and Italian influences: Peruvian cuisine has all these nuances and is recognized for the delicate balance of the fusion between them.
Every place where you can taste Peruvian gastronomy offers exquisite dishes, whether it is the best restaurant or a small street stall. In short, this cuisine combines the experience of traditional and migrant ingredients, the contributions of modern gastronomy and current and ancient cooking techniques.
Undoubtedly, Peruvian cuisine is one of the most acclaimed in the world thanks to the creative quality of its chefs, the generosity of a territory rich in first-class raw materials, a culinary history open to renewal and the sum of different cultures.
In Peru, the most famous dishes are:
● Chaufa rice in the first place. If you are wondering how this dish tastes,
follow the recipe here: carolinarice.com/recipes/arroz-chaufa/
● Wantán soup.
● Chi jau cuy.
● Alpaca roll.
1. Features of Peruvian gastronomy that make it famous
Fusion food
Foreign recipes in which original ingredients are substituted by autochthonous ingredients or the other way around, Peruvian recipes to which some ingredients are added or changed by traditional products from other cultures.
Some examples of Peruvian dishes that are the result of fusion:
● Nikkei, a sophisticated combination: Japanese immigrants were called Nikkei in Peru and Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine kept that name. With elegant and exquisite recipes, this style combines -in a sublime balance-ingredients from Japanese cuisine, such as rice and fish, with typical Peruvian products, such as chili peppers and grains.
● Peruvian cuisine with a Mediterranean accent: Italian immigration brought to Peru the characteristic ingredients of Mediterranean recipes: vegetables, pizzas and pastas.
2. Traditional ingredients and ancestral customs
Peru has a great variety of dishes by region. Whether you go to the coast, the jungle or the mountains, you will always be delighted with its delicious recipes! Among its ingredients, Peruvian gastronomy has fresh raw materials of excellent quality and great variety: fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, peppers, corn, spices, avocados, quinoa, aguaymanto and much more, which offer high nutritional value and special flavors.
It is worth mentioning that the return to the past, especially to Andean cuisine, is a
trend. Another element that is a hallmark of some preparations is pisco, the country’s
cultural heritage drink.
Peruvian food has centuries of history and development and forms a fundamental part of the Inca heritage, but at the same time was enriched by Spanish, African, French and Chinese-Cantonese culture.
3. Characteristic dishes in each region
Just like Mexican and other ancient and varied gastronomic cultures, Peruvian cuisine has characteristic dishes for each region. Every time you visit a new city when traveling to Peru, you will see new recipes, variations of famous dishes and in general a unique seal, which will delight you and will remain engraved in your memory. Let’s see, then, what Peruvian food is like in each region.
The highlands: powerful and nutritious dishes
It covers the area of the Andes Mountains and crosses the country from north to south. Here, visitors find an excellent gastronomy with flavors and colors that make each presentation unique.
One of the most representative dishes of the region is the pachamanca, made with a variety of meats, such as chicken, pork, beef, sheep and guinea pig, seasoned with aromatic herbs and cooked in earth ovens.
The coast: fresh and simple recipes
The Peruvian coastline – bathed by the Pacific Ocean – is the source of an infinite
number of flavors, as well as beautiful beaches. Although each coastal city has its own gastronomy, fish, aji amarillo, aji rojo, seafood, potatoes and rice are present in most of its recipes. Undoubtedly, the most popular dish is ceviche, a delicacy of Peruvian gastronomy with a simple preparation: basically, it consists of pieces of fresh fish that are left to marinate in a container with lemon juice for approximately 20 minutes, to which red onion, coriander or cilantro, chili bell pepper and salt are added to give it intense aromas and flavors.
The jungle: foods with special flavors
Amazonian gastronomy has a distinctive characteristic: sophisticated and exuberant
flavors that mix unique ingredients such as tropical fruits and river fish like paiche.