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Recipe: Tacu tacu (Peruvian rice and beans)
Every developing country has a traditional rice and beans dish. In Perú we call it “tacu tacu” and it involves a little more than just rice plus beans on a plate. If eaten by itself, tacu tacu is gluten-free and vegan. However, tacu tacu is normally eaten as a side dish or with some add-on toppings. Common toppings include a fried egg, a fried egg + fried plantains (“a lo pobre” or poor style), a fried egg + fried plantains + steak, grilled or fried fish, seafood sauce, etc. I prefer to serve it with some protein and a salad and have included a list of traditional topping ideas in…
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Recipe: Salsa criolla (Peruvian pickled onions)
Salsa criolla (Peruvian pickled onions) is an essential accompaniment to all sorts of dishes, such as tamales, arroz con pollo, chicharrón, seco and papa rellena. Of course you don’t need to make Peruvian food to enjoy salsa criolla. You can pair it up with any rich and/or dish that is on the dry side and could use some a bit of juicy tangy zing. If you have time, prepare the onions several hours before using them. They keep well in the fridge for 3-5 days.
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Recipe: Smashed potatoes with roasted garlic chimichurri
These smashed potatoes and roasted garlic chimichurri are great as a side dish, as part of a grazing table or on their own as a snack. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. The secret to golden, crunchy potatoes is to cook them twice and smash them in between. I used Spud Lite lower carb potatoes but you can use any waxy potato you like. This recipe will make extra chimichurri, which you can store in a jar in the fridge. You can eat it with steak, lamb chops, eggs, octopus, etc.
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Recipe: Lupin a la peruana (Peruvian-style lupin)
I get sudden cravings for Peruvian food once in a while. One day I was fixated on pepián, a corn purée spiced with our traditional aderezo of onion, garlic and chilli. Then I remembered I had a bag of lupin flakes in my cupboard and decided to use it as the main ingredient, partially because sweet corn is very different from Peruvian white corn. I used a ají amarillo paste that I found at Fiji Market. It’s got preservatives, so it’s not as good (health- or taste-wise) as fresh or as the paste I’m used to, but it’s better than nothing. If you can’t find ají amarillo paste you can…
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Recipe: Puré de espinaca (spinach mash)
Puré de espinaca is such an easy and middle-class recipe that I’m almost ashamed of posting it. But it brings warm memories of my childhood and of food from home. Eat with roast chicken, burger patties, fried eggs… whatever you fancy! Puré de espinaca Yield: 4-5 servings Ingredients 0.5 kg potatoes 4 tablespoons butter 0.5 cup chicken broth or milk 1-1.5 cups spinach salt and pepper to taste Directions Peel, cube and cook potatoes. Mash potatoes while hot, add butter and mix. Heat up broth/milk, pour over spinach in a blender and blend until puréed. Add spinach mix to potatoes, mix well and season.
