Peruvian cuisine refers to the culinary and gastronomical traditions of Peru, which originated in the pre-Columbian indigenous populations in its three main geographical regions along the Pacific coast, the Andes and the Amazonian areas. Some of the fare blends traditions that came after the arrival of the Spaniards in the 1530s, with immigrants from Europe (Spanish cuisine, Italian cuisine, and German cuisine), Asia (Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine), the Middle East, and Africa (Maghrebi cuisine and West African cuisine). Lacking ingredients often available in their original countries, these immigrants blended their recipes with those locally available in Peru.
The four traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn; potatoes and other tubers; Amaranthaceae (quinoa, kañiwa and kiwicha); and legumes (beans and lupins). Staples brought by the Spanish include rice, wheat and meats (beef, pork and chicken).
Many traditional foods—such as quinoa, kiwicha, chili peppers, and several roots and tubers—have increased in popularity in recent decades, reflecting a revival of interest in native Peruvian foods and culinary techniques. Chef Gastón Acurio has become well known for raising awareness of local ingredients. The most important ingredient in Peruvian cuisine is the potato, as Peru has the widest variety of potatoes in the world.
American food critic Eric Asimov has described it as one of the world's most important cuisines and an exemplar of fusion cuisine, due to its long multicultural history.
History Peruvian cuisine reflects the influences of indigenous ingredients and techniques, the viceregal era, and immigration from Europe, Africa and Asia.
Pre-Columbian era Local ingredients included potatoes, aji pepper, corn, quinoa and various Andean grains. By this time, sophisticated agricultural techniques had been developed that allowed the local inhabitants to grow and cultivate crops in the challenging terrain of the Andes.
Colonial era The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century brought about significant changes to Peruvian cuisine. The Spanish brought with them new ingredients, such as onions, garlic, and various meats, and introduced new cooking techniques, such as frying and sautéing.
African and Asian influences In the late 19th century, Peru experienced an influx of African and Asian immigrants who brought with them their culinary traditions. African slaves introduced dishes such as tacu-tacu, a mix of rice and beans that was fried and served with steak or eggs. Chinese immigrants created dishes such as lomo saltado, a stir-fry of beef, onions, tomatoes, and French fries, which has become a popular dish in Peru and globally.
Modern era Peruvian cuisine is known around the world with some of its the most distinguishable ingredients being aji amarillo peppers, huacatay herb, and Peruvian corn. In 2004, the Peruvian government launched the "Gastronomy Project" to promote the country's culinary traditions and encourage the development of the country's restaurant industry. In 2008, the Peruvian government declared June 28 as "National Ceviche Day" in recognition of the dish's importance to Peruvian cuisine.
Crops Peru is considered an important center for the genetic diversity of the world's crops:
Potatoes. Many varieties of potato are native to the Andes mountains.The Peruvian Potato Park at FarmersRights.org Over 99% of all cultivated potatoes worldwide are descendants of a single subspecies, namely Solanum tuberosum. This subspecies has developed into thousands of varieties that vary by size, shape, color, and other sensory characteristics.
Quinoa, three varieties Kaniwa Tarwi, a legume native to the Andes which is similar to the lupin bean Lima bean Maca Oca, a potato-like tuber Mashua, a potato-like tuber Ulluco, a potato-like tuber Caigua, a vegetable with a cucumber-like taste Capsicum baccatum chile peppers, including ají amarillo and ají limón Capsicum pubescens, rocoto chile Capsicum chinense, ají panca and ají mochero/limo Fruits—Peru has about 20 native fruits that are used in cooking or eaten fresh
The sweet potato is native to the Americas and was domesticated there at least 5,000 years ago.Sweet Potato , Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Two varieties of sweet potato are commonly available for sale in the markets, but there are more varieties around the country. One has dry orange flesh and light tan skin and tastes sweet. The other has purple skin, is white and brown inside, and is only moderately sweet. Occasionally another variety, characterized by small tubers and dark skin, is available.
Among the fruits native to the Andes region in general (Peru, Bolivia) are lúcuma, camu camu, prickly pear, cape gooseberry, cocona, pacay, guanabana, dragon fruit, pepino, papaya, ciruela, mammee apple, banana passionfruit, cherimoya, granadilla, moriche palm fruit, and tamarillo. Yacon, although an underground tuber, is also used as a fruit. Usually, none of the other native fruits are commercially available.
From Peru, the Spanish brought back to Europe several foods that became staples for many cultures around the world.
Potatoes: Potatoes were introduced to Europe from the Americas. They were considered livestock feed in Europe until French chemist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier began serving dishes made from the tubers at his lavish banquets. His guests were immediately convinced that potatoes were fit for human consumption. The varieties used in Europe and most of the world, however, derive from a subspecies indigenous to the Peruvian Andes, Solanum tuberosum. Beans: Several varieties of the common bean are native to Latin America including the lima bean.
The varieties of chili peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and maize that the Spanish brought back to Europe, however, were native to Peru:
Peppers: Chili peppers are native to America. The varieties most commonly used around the world, however, derive from Mexico and Central America. Sweet Peppers are native to Mexico and Central America. Peruvian Ají peppers are virtually unknown outside of the Andean region of South America. Maize: Maize ("Indian" corn), is native to Mesoamerica and Peru; the varieties used in Europe and most of the world are from Central America. The corn grown in Peru is sweet and has large kernels. However, it is not widely consumed outside of Peru. Tomatoes: The wild ancestor of the tomato, Solanum pimpinellifolium, is native to western South America both in the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon.
Many foods from Spain are now considered Peruvian staples, including wheat, barley, oats, rice, lentils, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), broad beans, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, celery, lettuce, eggplant, wine, vinegar, olives, beef, pork, chicken, numerous spices (including coriander, cumin, parsley, cilantro (green coriander), laurel, mint, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise (fennel), black pepper and oregano), bananas, quince, apples, oranges, limes, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, melons, figs, pomegranates, honey, white sugar, almonds, walnuts, cheese, hen eggs, cow's milk, etc. Many food plants popular in Europe, however, were imported to Peru.
Cultivation of ancient plants
During the colonial period, and continuing up until the Second World War, Peruvian cuisine focused on Spanish models and virtually ignored anything that could be regarded as native or Peruvian. Traditional food plants, which the indigenous people continued to eat, were regarded as "peasant food" to be avoided. These colonial attitudes took a long time to fade. Since the 1970s, there has been an effort to bring these native food plants out of obscurity.
Some plants cultivated by ancient societies of Peru have been rediscovered by modern Peruvians, and are carefully studied by scientists. Due to the characteristics of its land and climate and the nutritional quality of its products, some Peruvian plants may play a vital role in future nutrition. Examples include quinoa (an excellent source of essential amino acids) and kañiwa, which look and cook like cereals but are pseudocereals. Nutritionists are also studying root vegetables, such as maca, and cereals like kiwicha.
Since 1985, NASA has used some of these foods—quinoa, kiwicha and maca—for astronaut meals. Andean ingredients like tubers and quinoa (kinwa in the indigenous language Quechua) have also been promoted by members of Peru's Ministry of Culture and received international endorsements from celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and NASA as a new type of superfood. While Peruvian state actors and celebrity chefs argue that these efforts have created economic opportunity for rural farmers and built international cultural awareness, the commercialization of Andean ingredients has decreased crop biodiversity on indigenous lands. Heightened global demand has caused prices to increase so that these ingredients are becoming less accessible to the native Peruvians.
For many of Peru's inhabitants, these food stocks allow for adequate nutrition, even though living standards are poor. Abandoning many of these staples during the Spanish domination and republican eras lowered nutritional levels.
Peruvian cuisine is often made spicy with ají pepper, a basic ingredient. Peruvian chili peppers are not always spicy but serve to give taste and color to dishes. Rice often accompanies dishes in Peruvian cuisine, and the regional sources of foods and traditions give rise to countless varieties of preparation and dishes.
Regional differences Peru is a country that holds not just a variety of ethnic mixes since times ranging from the Inca Empire, the Viceroyalty and the Republic, but also a climatic variety of 28 individual climates. The mixing of cultures and the variety of climates differ from city to city so geography, climate, culture and ethnic mix determine the variety of local cuisine.
Coastal areas
The Pacific Ocean is the principal source of aquatic resources for Peru. Peru is one of the world's top two producers and exporters of unusually high-protein fishmeal for use in livestock/aquaculture feed. Its richness in fish and other aquatic life is enormous, and many oceanic plant and animal species can only be found in Peru. As important as the Pacific is to Peru's biodiversity, freshwater biomes such as the Amazon River and Lake Titicaca also play a large role in the ecological make-up of the country.
Every coastal region, being distinct in flora and fauna populations, adapts its cuisine in accordance to the resources available in its waters.
Ceviche, a Peruvian dish of marinated raw fish or seafood typically garnished with herbs and served as an appetizer, with many variations (pure, combination, or mixed with fish and shellfish), provides a good example of regional adaptation. Ceviche is found in almost all Peruvian restaurants on the coast, the shortly marinated seafood morsels are typically served with camote (sweet potato), and kernels of Peruvian choclo serrano. It can also be spelled "cebiche" in Peru. It is the flagship dish of coastal cuisine, and one of the most popular dishes among Peruvians. Ceviche marinade consists of Andean chili peppers, onions, and juices from an aromatic lime variety brought by the Spaniards. Before the Spanish colonists came to Peru, the Moche marinated seafood using fermented juice prepared from local banana passionfruit called Tumbo. Once the Spanish colonists arrived and brought with them citrus fruits, locals started using citrus to marinate their seafood. Ceviche is a spicy dish that consists generally of bite-size pieces of white fish (such as corvina or white sea bass), marinated raw in lime juice mixed with chilis. Ceviche is often served with raw onions, boiled sweet potatoes (camote), and toasted corn (cancha).