They say variety is the spice of life. This is true on many fronts, be it in entertainment such as TV shows, books, or music, or even when it comes to our dining choices. Different cultures all over the world present various cuisines to try, which makes the whole cooking and eating experience quite interesting and fun. For instance, Peru is a country in South America home to a group of people of different ethnicities, making it quite rich in culture. It also has beautiful landscapes and contains one of the world’s famous tourist attractions, Machu Picchu. Moreover, Peruvian cuisine is quite flavourful with dishes such as Lomo Saltado, a popular dish consisting of Chinese-style beef strips marinated using soy. There is also Ceviche, a tender fish dish, and Papa a la huancaina; potato served with a creamy sauce. Try cooking potatoes with a Peruvian flair.
Your mouth should be already watering by now! Do not worry. You do not have to travel all the way to Peru to get a taste of these lovely dishes, even if that might be quite the adventure. Below we have a step by step guide on how you can make Papa a la huancaina, right from the comfort of your home.
There are plenty of ways to have potatoes, like fries, crisps, or even a mash, which is quite popular, especially during the holidays. Potatoes are diverse and easy to find, making the main ingredient of a variety of dishes. The Papa a la huancaina is a popular potato dish in Peru, whose name is derived from Huancayo, a city in the country’s highlands.
If you would like to try the dish, you will need the following:
- 4 potatoes
- A cup of evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons of Aji Amarillo paste
- 1 pound of queso fresco
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lettuce leaves
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- Black olives
- Salty crackers
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Instructions
- Boil your potatoes in a large pan over high heat until tender. Be careful not to over boil the potatoes as you do not want them to crumble. Once they are done, take them out and place them on a chopping board to cool. After a few minutes, proceed to peel the potatoes and then cut them into thick circular slices.
- To a blender, add the Amarillo paste, queso fresco, salt, pepper, garlic, milk, crackers, and vegetable oil. Blend until it forms a smooth consistency. These ingredients come together well to create the creamy yellow paste, the highlight of the dish.
- Over a large plate, put your lettuce leaves and add the potato slices on top. I find that serving food on a plate is an opportunity to try something creative, so go ahead and arrange the potatoes whichever way you like. Proceed to pour the mixture all over the potatoes once done.
- Slice up the boiled eggs and olives into halves and place them on top of the potatoes.
- Enjoy!
This potato dish is easy and quick to prepare and is excellent for a healthy lunch or dinner. So go ahead and try cooking potatoes with a Peruvian flair!
Featured AgainErick, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
