- Gastronomy of the Andean region: typical dishes
- 1- Rib broth or risotto
- 2- Changua
- 3- Ajiaco
- 4- The tamales
- 5- The paisa tray
- 6- Piglet
- 7- White delicacy
- 8- Chicha
- 9- Mute Santander
- 10- Arepa Antioqueña
- 11- Ruyas Bravas
- 12- Church Empanadas
- 13- Boyacense stew
- References
The typical dishes of the Andean region of Colombia are very varied since it is made up of various departments: Nariño, Cauca, Caldas, Risaralda, Quindio, Huila, Cundinamarca, Santander, Norte de Santander, Antioquia, Tolima and Boyacá.
Although it is true that gastronomy varies from one department to another, the dishes of the Andean region have certain elements in common, such as the use of meats and meat broths and the use of spices and strong seasonings.
Ajiaco
Beef and pork are the protagonists of most of the dishes of the Andean region of Colombia. In fact, five of the typical dishes that will be presented below contain at least one type of meat.
Next, a list of eight typical dishes from the Colombian Andes will be presented. Of these dishes, two are mainly eaten for breakfast, four are eaten for lunch, and two are desserts.
Gastronomy of the Andean region: typical dishes
1- Rib broth or risotto
The rib broth is one of the most common dishes in Colombian cuisine. It is a soup made from beef ribs, usually beef.
The ribs are boiled in water, along with garlic, coriander, parsley, onions, and chili. Also, vegetables are added, such as potato, banana, yucca and yam.
The rib broth is usually eaten for breakfast, along with bread or arepa (the latter is a typical element of Colombian gastronomy in general).
Also, rib broth is used as a hangover remedy. This is why it is called "lifters".
In addition, the mixture of vegetables and ribs provides a large amount of nutrients, so the broth restores the energy of those who consume it quickly.
2- Changua
It is a typical soup from the Andean region of Colombia, specifically from the Boyacá and Cundinamarca departments. It is very common in the capital of Colombia, Bogotá.
This soup is made by mixing equal parts of water and milk with a pinch of salt. This mixture is boiled and when it is bubbling, an egg without the shell is added, taking care that the yolk does not break.
It is left on the fire for a few minutes, while the egg cooks, and chives (which are usually fried beforehand to intensify the flavor of the plant) and curly coriander are added.
This soup is served with a piece of stale bread, which is soaked in the milk broth to soften it. It is usually eaten for breakfast.
3- Ajiaco
Ajiaco is a kind of creamy soup made from chicken, corn, avocado, potatoes, guascas, coriander, parsley, chili, garlic and onions. It is made with three types of typical potatoes from the Andes: sabaneras potatoes, pastusa and criollas.
The potatoes are boiled and beaten to form a kind of puree. To this mixture add the chicken, the chicken broth and the other ingredients. Milk or heavy cream can be added to improve the consistency of the ajiaco.
4- The tamales
Tamales are typical dishes of the gastronomy of Latin America. However, in each area they are prepared differently.
The tamales of the Colombian Andean region use a dough based on rice that has been cooked (when it is a bit sticky).
This mixture is kneaded into small balls and spread on banana leaves. Later, it is filled with chicken meat, beef or pork stew; They can also be made with grains (peas, beans, lentils, among others).
When the stew has been added, the tamale is closed, which is wrapped in the banana leaf. They are then cooked in boiling water and left to rest so that the rice dough does not disintegrate.
5- The paisa tray
The paisa tray is characterized by the abundance of the foods that compose it. It is not a dish as such because it does not have specific ingredients or outstanding ingredients: the true protagonist of this tray is the quantity.
Although the ingredients of the paisa tray may vary from one location to another, the canonical elements of this dish are considered to be the following:
- Red beans with pork.
- White rice.
- Chicharrón (fried pork skin, its consistency is very crunchy).
- Steak.
- Fried eggs.
- Patacones (slices or slices of fried plantain).
- Sausages.
- Avocado.
- Arepas.
Other versions of the paisa tray include roast beef, pork, and beef liver.
6- Piglet
Lechón is a dish that is made with a young pig, no more than three months old. It is usually cooked in the oven.
To prepare the suckling pig, the animal's skin must be cleaned very well, any impurities removed and the viscera removed. Once the meat is clean, we proceed to season.
Some people poke holes in the pig's skin and stuff them with olives, capers, carrots, garlic, and onions. Other people prepare a pork or beef stew and fill the suckling pig's belly with this sauce.
When the meat has been filled to the taste of the cook, the suckling pig is baked. It is recommended to add a little fat while the suckling pig is cooking so that the meat is juicy.
7- White delicacy
The manjar blanco is a dessert made with cornstarch (cornstarch) and milk. This is made by mixing the milk with the cornstarch. Said mixture is placed on the fire and stirred constantly.
As it cooks, add the sugar. You can also include other ingredients to taste, such as cinnamon, lemon zest and vanilla essence.
Once the delicacy has been cooked, it is left to rest in small containers (one for each serving) and can be refrigerated to harden.
8- Chicha
Chicha is a typical dessert from the Andes, not just from Colombia. It is a drink based on cereals, mainly oats, wheat and corn.
In some areas, the chicha is allowed to ferment so that it acquires a certain alcoholic strength.
9- Mute Santander
Santander and Norte de Santander own soup that is prepared for cold and rainy seasons due to the variety of its ingredients. It varies by household, but the traditional recipe is made up of corn, beef rib, pork, Creole potato, beans, and plenty of spicy vegetables.
10- Arepa Antioqueña
The importance of the arepa in Colombian gastronomy in general is well known. In the case of Antioquia, it takes on special relevance, having its own preparation, based on indigenous origins. Its main base is threshed corn.
11- Ruyas Bravas
Corn again takes center stage in the recipe. It is an ideal companion for dishes mentioned above such as sancocho, ajiaco or the ruya soup itself. There are other variants of this recipe in which the corn is substituted for the toasted flour or oats.
12- Church Empanadas
The Church empanada is characterized by being very small, quite golden and with a potato base as a filling. Other ingredients to cook it are corn flour, tomato, wanted, onion, oil and salt.
13- Boyacense stew
It has its origin in the Spanish rotten pot. It is a stew that integrates corn on the cob, pork, chorizo or chicken, cubes, beans, chuguas, broad beans and beans.
References
- Typical Colombian Food. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from sites.google.com
- The Andes Region. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from uncovercolombia.com
- Get to know Andean Region. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from colombiatravel.com
- Andean Region Traditional Food. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from globeholidays.net
- Andean Region Gastronomy. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from theandeanregiononline.blogspot.com
- Traditional High Andean Cuisine. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from fao.org
- Gastronomy in Colombia. Retrieved on August 7, 2017, from flightandtrip.com