Experience Peruvian Food

If you are looking not only for a sustainable accommodation, but also for traditional Peruvian food, the Inkaterra Hotels will be a good destination to head to. At each of their properties, they live their “earth to table” concept, which means that the majority of the ingredients that land on your plate will be from their local farming or local producers.

Within this “earth to table” concept, Inkaterra focuses on preserving Incan farming methods that are indigenous for the region.

Quinoa, potato and corn crops are grown on land and harvested with tools and methods that have been part of the area for centuries. The resort chefs then work their magic and the result is high-quality, fresh and sustainable Peruvian food.

In case you are not heading to Peru anytime soon, here are 5 recipes directly from the Inkaterra kitchen for you to try out at home. Go on a culinary trip with Peruvian food and indulge! Happy cooking!

“PACA” of PAICHE FISH

A great fresh fish dish with many traditional Peruvian food elements. It may take some time finding the ingredients, but it is well worth the effort!

Ingredients:
120g Paiche fillet
30g pink onion
30g tomato
10ml olive oil
10g cilantro
1 portion of cooked white rice
curcuma according to taste
1 bamboo cane or Paca

How to make it:
1. Cut a fillet of Paiche, add pink onion, tomato and cilantro in regular cuts, mix these with olive oil and salt until it’s homogenous.
2. Pour the mixture in the bamboo cane or “paca”, cover it with a banana leaf, bring it around an open fire and cook it during 30 minutes.
3. You finalize the cooking in a “bain marie”.
4. Once ready, take the banana leaf off, pour the cooked mixture in a plate and serve with white rice accompanied by a spicy Brazilnut sauce “picante de castaña”.

Picante de Castaña
Ingredients:
30g toasted brazil nut
15g pink onion
1 Garlic Clove
10g Yellow pepper (moderate heat)
Vegetable Oil and Salt,to taste

How to make it:
1. Cut the onion, the garlic and Brazil Nuts in small cubes.
2. Stir fry them with vegetable oil, add salt to taste and then process in a blender until it has a dense and even consistency.

Andean Quinoa

Quinoa is known as the Andean Cereal. It is similar to risotto, but made from traditional quinoa and as risotto, can go along any main dish.

Ingredients:
60g red quinoa*
10g onion
10g garlic
20g yellow pepper
100ml cream
300ml white wine
30g parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

How to make it:
1. Mix garlic, onion and yellow pepper previously cut in small cubes, pour the mixture in a frying pan with vegetable oil.
2. Add the red quinoa already steamed in water.
3. Incorporate the cream and reduce the mixture until ready about 15 minutes.
4. Add parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper according to taste.

*Extra tip for preparing quinoa: wash the grains in cold water until the water is clear, then boil the water (1kg of quinoa needs 2L of water!) and add the quinoa. Boil for 12-18 Minutes.

 

Cocoa Bread

For all those chocolate lovers out there: here you have a bread that you will love.

Ingredients:
500g all-purpose flour
100g white sugar
2g salt
15g baking powder
45g unsalted butter
3 yellow eggs
15ml olive oil
400g pure cocoa paste
300g bitter chocolate
10g natural yeast dough

How to make it:
1. Mix the flour with the natural yeast dough, the eggs, the olive oil, and beat them slowly in a ground blender until the mixture becomes elastic.
2. Reduce the speed and add the unsalted butter
3. Add the previously grated cocoa paste and bitter chocolate until it becomes a mass.
4. Roll about 40 g per bread piece and leave it rise for one hour.
5. Place them in the oven, at 190C (370F.) for about 15-20 minutes. Leave it in the oven until it’s lukewarm. Once ready place the bread piece on a plate.

Quinoa Pancake

A twist on your usual pancake that might just make it onto your plate regularly in the morning (or anytime else you want pancakes!) once you have tried it!

Ingredients:
1.5 cup flour
2 eggs
75g white sugar
dash of salt
20ml vanilla essence
20ml pisco or brandy
100ml fresh milk
70g previously cooked quinoa (see above for instructions)
25g melted, saltless butter
10g baking powder

How to make it:
1. Mix the eggs together with the white sugar, the salt, the vanilla essence, the pisco, the milk and the melted butter.
2. Mix the flour and the baking powder separately and add them little by little to the mixture until it becomes soft & homogenous.
3. Finally add the previously cooked quinoa. If necessary, add some milk if the mixture is too dry.
4. Fry the final mixture in a non sticking pan.

Serve with maple syrup or honey!

Pisco Sour

The Pisco Sour is the Peruvian signature drink! After all the cooking, mix this cocktail and sit down and relax. Cheers!

Ingredients:
– 3 oz Pisco Queirolo Quebranta
– 1 oz green lemon
– 1 oz cane syrup
– ice cubes
– 3 drops Amargo de Angostura
– 1 egg white

How to make it:
1. Mix the pisco and ice in a blender, add a dash of cane syrup, a dash of lemon juice.
2. Then add the egg white. Shake until smooth and pour in a glass.
3. Add a few drops of Angostura bitter.