THE 10 MOST POPULAR CAJAMARCA TYPICAL DISHES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Many of the typical dishes of Cajamarca, in Peru, are inherited from the aboriginal groups that inhabited the area. With the passage of time, this cuisine was mixed with European cuisine, giving rise to the current Cajamarca gastronomy.

The cuisine of Cajamarca is one of the most outstanding examples of Peruvian Andean cuisine. In this, both ingredients originating from Peru and others that were introduced during the conquest and the Colony are used.

These include chili, corn, yellow potatoes, guinea pigs (a kind of rodent), pigs, lambs, and chicken. To a lesser extent, green plantains and hearts of palm are used.

Cajamarca sweets are also recognized. Most are prepared based on milk, such as dulce de leche, manjar blanco, mazamorra de leche, among others.

Cajamarca dishes can be classified into four groups: appetizers, soups, main dishes and desserts. Among the appetizers, the tamales and the humita stand out. The best known soups are lamb's head and chochoca.

Par excellence, the main dishes are fried guinea pig and chicharrón con mote. Finally, the best known desserts are the white manjar and the fig with honey.

The 10 most important typical dishes of Cajamarca

1- Corn humitas

The term humitas comes from the Quechua humit'a, which means sweet corn dough wrapped in panca, or dried leaf of this vegetable. Humitas can be sweet or salty.

Sweet humitas are often filled with cheese, raisins, and brown sugar molasses. For its part, the salty ones can be meat, vegetables, among other fillings.

The dough is prepared by grating the baby corn. Butter is added to this and mixed until it has an easy-to-handle consistency. Some people add an egg to make the corn more compact.

The preparation is spread over the corn husks, previously softened with boiling water, and the desired filling is added.

Once the corn husks are closed, they are cooked in boiling water. These buns are served as appetizers.

2- Tamales

Tamales are corn buns, similar to humitas. They are filled with meat or vegetable stews.

3- Chochoca soup with jerky

The main ingredient in chochoca soup is corn flour, which is made from cooked and dried corn kernels.

In addition to flour, this broth contains beef and vegetables such as celery and yellow potatoes.

In some areas of Cajamarca eggs and cheese are also added.

4- Green broth

The green broth is one of the best known soups in Cajamarca. It is prepared with potatoes, eggs, cheese, mint, parsley, coriander and paico (a typical herb of the area).

The secret of this dish is the aromatic herbs, which not only give it a good flavor but also give it the typical green color of the broth. It is usually accompanied by Andean corn.

5- Lamb head broth

The lamb is one of the most predominant animals in the Peruvian Altiplano. For this reason, its meat is highly valued and is used to prepare various dishes. One of the most relevant is the broth that is made with the head of lamb.

In the colder areas of Cajamarca, this soup is preferred to any other as it provides a large amount of nutrients and allows the energy lost due to temperature differences to be recovered.

In addition to the lamb meat, this dish has root vegetables (such as potatoes, yucca and celery), onion, garlic, parsley and coriander.

6- Chicharrón with mote

Chicharrón is a dish that is prepared with fried pork skin. This skin is cooked to such an extent that it is very crispy.

It is not necessary to add oil for its preparation, since the skin of the pig retains much of the fat of the animal and releases it while it is being cooked.

Unlike other Cajamarca dishes, chicharrón has no seasonings, beyond salt to taste. The dish is served with mote (boiled, ripe corn kernels) and mashed potatoes.

7- Fried guinea pig

The guinea pig is a small rodent typical of the Peruvian Andes. To prepare this dish, the guinea pigs are first cleaned and boiled in water seasoned with garlic, onions and salt.

While the meat is cooking, prepare a sauce of red chili, garlic, parsley, pepper, other spices and salt to taste.

The guinea pigs are removed from the water and fried in abundant oil. When they are almost ready, add the sauce that was prepared previously.

This dish is served with boiled potatoes and eggs, olives and parsley as a garnish.

8- Quesillo with honey

The cheese with honey is prepared with milk, cream, cinnamon and cloves. When the mixture sets, it is served and honey is added.

9- White delicacy

Manjar blanco is a typical Cajamarca dessert that is made with cow's milk, sugar, cinnamon and chuño (a dehydrated bitter potato).

The proportions in which the ingredients should be mixed are as follows: for each liter of milk, a quarter of a kilo of sugar and a tablespoon of chuño are added. Cinnamon is added to taste.

This mixture is boiled until it begins to thicken. When it has acquired the desired consistency, let it rest. This dessert is served cold.

10- Canned figs

Fig preserves are a very simple and popular dessert throughout the Cajamarca region.

To prepare it, take the figs and cut the upper part of the fruit. They are soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.

Later they are boiled with a mixture of honey lowered in water. When it is observed that the honey has recovered its consistency, it is removed from the heat and allowed to rest.

In some areas honey is replaced by a molasses based on sugar cane juice.

References

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