Firstly, Peru has incredible biodiversity. The long strips of arid coast, the Andes mountains and the Amazon rainforest lie side by side, and this results in a huge range of crops. Have you ever heard of Lucuma? It’s a fruit that tastes like vanilla and apricot. Or of Sacha Inchi, an Amazon plant with a nut rich in omega 3, 6 and 9? Inca berries or Camu Camu? And in Peru there are three thousand varieties of the common or garden potato.
Sacha Inchi, a ‘superfood’ from the Amazone.
Cherimoya, an exotic fruit that tastes like strawberries with cream.
Then there’s a culinary tradition as old as the Incas that has been added to over the past five hundred years by influences from Spanish colonists and immigrants from China, Japan and Italy. To name just one example, Peru’s favourite dish: ceviche. The Incas marinated raw fish in corn beer; it was the Spanish who introduced lemons and experimented with local peppers. The Japanese added the finishing touch by briefly marinating the fish in citric acid, instead of letting it cook through.
Traditional ceviche served with unions, pepper, mais en sweet potato.
The biggest stars in the Peruvian culinary firmament are ceviche and various potato dishes. The exceptional thing about these dishes is that you will find them both in the chicest restaurants and at the local markets, on food stalls in the streets and in the ‘huariques’ (roughly translated: ‘a hidden spot where they serve food’). To give an example: Chez Wong, a restaurant with ten tables, without tablecloths or fancy glasses, will serve you ceviche by the chef known as the ‘king of ceviche’. Or Heydi, one of the huariques close to Plaza de Armas. No frills, big servings and pure, local food.
On Sundays restaurant Heydi is a popular family lunch spot.
Lomo saltado: a national dish consisting of strips of beef fried at high temperature – a straight copy of the Chinese wok method. For this dish, with Arroz Chaufa (fried rice) or sushi with avocado, go to one of the many ‘Chifa’ and ‘Nikkei’ restaurants – Chinese-Peruvian and Japanese-Peruvian. Maido is a hot tip: the chef spent two years working in Osaka in Japan before opening this restaurant.
Ceviche: the absolute number one national dish – there is even a national holiday dedicated to it. Made from raw fish (traditionally sea bass) marinated in a dash of lemon or lime juice, peppers, (red) onion, salt and pepper. The mixture is left to marinate for several hours and these days usually served with ‘leche de tigre’, a glass of marinade. El Mercado, run by well-known chef Rafael Oosterling, is a special place for ceviche with a twist.
Chicha Morada is the drink for hot summer days in Lima. The corn is cooked and then cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel and pineapple added to the juice. The Chicha at Sangucheria La Lucha is good, as are the sandwiches.
Chicha Morada a famous Peruvian drink made of purple corn.
Pisco Sour: Peru’s national cocktail (although Chile also claims it) made from ‘pisco’ – a strong drink distilled from grapes – with whisked egg white, cane syrup, ice cubes and lots and lots of lime juice. Where to drink it? In the pisco bar in Hotel B, Lima’s first designer hotel. The pisco is good, and the setting snug: it is one of the few places to have central heating.
Causa with mashed potato, chicken, egg and avocado.