THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT TYPICAL LIME DISHES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The typical dishes of Lima, Peru, have transformed this city into one of the gastronomy capitals of the world. It includes Aboriginal, European, African and other cultural elements, such as Chinese.

One of the dishes that shows the Chinese-Peruvian fusion is the arroz chaufa, which is prepared with soy sauce, chunks of chicken and pork, and sautéed vegetables.

The central ingredient of the cuisine of this region is fish, whose versatility allows the preparation of various dishes: ceviche, tiradito (a kind of ceviche without onion), seafood soup, among others.

Seafood is also important in the gastronomy of Lima. Some dishes that include these ingredients are choros a la chalaca (mussels), parmesan shells, crab cakes and rice with seafood.

Lima has hundreds of typical dishes that show the influence of the gastronomy of different countries. The three basic cultural elements are of Inca, European and African origin, which are the three groups that interacted during the Colony.

Also, Asian elements are noted, such as the inclusion of soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, fried vegetables and rice as the protagonist.

The 10 main typical dishes of Lima

1- Ceviche

Ceviche is a dish with aboriginal roots. To make the ceviche, cut the fish into pieces or strips and marinate in lemon or vinegar.

The lemon cooks the fish and allows the meat to soften enough to be eaten without any problem.

Onions and garlic are added to this mixture. It is served with sweet potato (which is a kind of sweet potato), boiled corn or roasted corn.

2- Parihuela

The parihuela is a traditional Lima soup whose main ingredients are marine products. It usually includes white fish, mussels, scallops, crabs, and octopus.

In addition to this, various vegetables are added: potatoes, cassava, peppers and onions. In some areas this dish is also prepared with seaweed.

3- Anticuchos

Anticuchos are a dish of African origin that was mixed with indigenous and European ingredients.

The main ingredient in this dish is the beef heart, which is cut into pieces and threaded on wooden sticks together with pieces of onion and chili pepper.

These skewers are grilled. It is served with potatoes, corn or boiled cassava, and with a hot chili sauce.

In the neighborhoods of Lima it is very common to see anticucheras, which are street vendors selling anticuchos.

4- Carapulcra

The carapulcra is a dish of Inca origin that is prepared with meat and vegetables.

It is a chicken and pork meat soup, seasoned with chili powder, peanuts, garlic, olives, onion and other condiments. Potatoes cut into pieces are added to change the consistency of the broth.

It is necessary to emphasize that the carapulcra that is known today is not the same that the aborigines prepared before the arrival of the Spanish.

The dish that is consumed today includes European elements, such as spices and olives; and African elements, such as peanuts.

5- Cau cau

The cau cau is a typical Lima dish that involves indigenous, European and African elements.

This is a beef tripe broth, which is the belly of these animals. It is seasoned with yellow chili, onions, garlic and certain herbs, such as parsley, coriander, chives, among others.

Potatoes and cassava are added to make the soup more nutritious. In this way it constitutes a complete meal.

6- Chaufa rice

Chaufa rice is one of the Peruvian dishes that shows the influence of Chinese culture.

This dish is prepared with fried rice in soy sauce, pork and chicken meat, green onion, cabbages and bean sprouts.

7- Lomo saltado

The lomo saltado is another of Lima's meals that includes Chinese elements. This is prepared with strips of meat marinated in vinegar, soy sauce and spices.

This meat is fried with peppers, onions and tomatoes. It is in this process where the Chinese influence is most observed, since the meat is sautéed using the Asian technique. It is served with French fries or with rice.

8- Humita

The humita is a type of tamale, perhaps the first that was invented. This dish is of Inca origin and can be a salty or sweet snack.

Unlike traditional tamales, humita is prepared with fresh corn kernels, which are ground and kneaded to form a more or less compact mixture.

The dough is placed on dry cob sheets, which are softened with boiled water so that they do not crack.

Once the dough has been spread on the sheets, we proceed with the filling. The salty humitas are accompanied by a meat stew, while the sweet ones are filled with raisins or fruit jams.

These buns are cooked in boiling water and served cold, to prevent the heat from the filling from destroying the dough.

9- Picarones

Picarones are one of the most common sweets in Lima and throughout Peru. They are prepared with sweet potato flour and pumpkin, a type of Peruvian pumpkin.

With these two ingredients a mass is created that is shaped into rings. These are fried and later served with honey or sugar cane molasses.

10- Purple Mazamorra

The purple mazamorra is a traditional sweet whose central ingredient is purple corn. In addition to this, sweet potato flour, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest are added.

As special ingredients, chopped fruits such as pineapple, peach, apple, cherries, among others, can be included.

For the final presentation of the dessert it is garnished with ground or stick cinnamon.

References

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5. Lima Cuisine. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from go2peru.com
6. Lima Cuisine. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from peru.travel
7. Typical Peruvian Main Courses. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from limaeasy.com