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 Diverse, rich in sweet and savory flavors, the regional cuisine of the Ica department along the Pacific coast of southeastern Peru showcases a unique fusion of Creole and African gastronomic cultures.
Her menu consists of dishes prepared on the basis of legumes, all kinds of peppers, potatoes, asparagus, pecans, fish and livestock products with a lot of spices.
Among the variety of legumes native to the Andes, luniform (lima) beans have taken a special place in the department's cuisine. Its white and green beans were recognized as an excellent source of protein, and as early as the 16th century they were exported from Peru to the rest of the American countries and Europe. In restaurants in the city of Ica, green moon beans are used in soup such as chupe de pallares verdes (chupe de pallares verdes) in vegetable broth with celery and white vinegar, spices and fresh cheese. The second most traditional lima bean dish is morusa de pallares (morusa de pallares), a kind of fish or beef, egg, avocado and onion appetizer served with mashed potatoes or cassava. Popular and ensalada de palares (ensalada de pallares) - regional tomato salad, lettuce, onions, parsley and beans, seasoned with vegetable oil and a mixture of lemon juice with sugar, salt, ground pepper and oregano. Ensalada de garbanzos (ensalada de garbanzos) includes similar ingredients, but the beans are being replaced by chickpeas, which were first cultivated in South America after colonization began.
From the gastronomy of the peoples of the Aymara group in Peru, the style of cooking on heated stones, which was called kala purca, spread. During the Spanish conquest, this name was given to a common festive dish of dried potatoes with meat and spices, and now the transformed word carapulcra (carapulcra) means a spicy stew with dried potatoes, pork or chicken, mirasol pepper, garlic and ground peanuts. The dish is accompanied by white rice or spaghetti. Often spaghetti or green noodles are served with Afro-Peruvian appetizers such as sopa-seca (sopa seca) with chicken pieces, seasoned with achiote, parsley, basil, garlic and pepper.
Shrimp cocktail (coctel de camarones) is an international dish, but it is certain that the shrimp and avocado variation comes from Peru, where it is appreciated for its taste and nutritional value and is usually prepared for Easter. In the Ica department, such a cocktail is mixed in a special glass, combining boiled shrimp, avocado cubes, boiled egg slices and lettuce, seasoned with a mixture of ketchup, mayonnaise, cream and finely chopped onions.
The regional cuisine of the department also has a variety of liqueur-based desserts, sweet, savory and even spicy, which include the following:
1) Frejol colado (frejol colado) - a sweet paste made from black beans, sugar, condensed milk and ground cinnamon with sesame seeds. It is believed that this dessert was first prepared by black slaves in the Ica hacienda in the 16th century.
2) Texas (tejas) - slices of lemon, orange, fig or other fruit boiled in water with sugar, grapes or nuts covered with white or chocolate glaze. It is believed that these sweets were originally also prepared by black slaves from citrus peels.
3) Grape jelly (mazamorra de uvas) - a dessert based on grape juicethickened with wheat or corn flour, sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
4) Chapans (chapanas) is a pre-Columbian dessert whose name comes from the Quechua language and means to knead.Outwardly, it is a small product, wrapped in banana or dried corn leaves, stuffed with cassava, sugar, honey and molasses. Chapans can be cooked on the grill, steam bath, in ash or boiling in water.
Elena
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