12 Typical Jungle Dishes of Peru
The typical jungle dishes are characterized by the diverse flavors, textures, and colors that each one of them has. Undoubtedly, it is a different flavor from the other regions of Peru and very pleasant for tourists in general.
It is not for nothing that Peru was awarded the prize “Gastronomic Capital of America”, it has even been distinguished for 8 consecutive years in the World Travel Awards as the “Leading Culinary Destination worldwide”.
Read on and discover the list of the best typical dishes of the Peruvian jungle.
1.- Juane
Juane is considered one of the most popular typical dishes of the jungle.
In ancient times, the first juanes were prepared with yucca, fish, callampa (edible mushroom), and eggs from wild birds.
Later, with the arrival of the Spaniards to Peruvian territory, products from Europe were included, such as chicken meat, olives, rice, and many of the currently known seasonings.
There are some varieties of juanes such as Juane de arroz, based on rice and chicken; Avispajuane, with ground meat; Ninajuane, with chicken and egg; Chuchullijuane, with rice and chicken giblets, and Uchujuane, with fish, egg and chili. Another variety is Sarajuane, which contains peanuts, corn, and guinea pig meat.
Avispajuane
2.- Tacacho with Cecina
The word “tacacho” comes from the Quechua “taka chu” which means “beaten” and is the most popular food of the Peruvian jungle. This delicious typical jungle dish is prepared with green plantains that are softened by roasting or frying. It is then mashed and mixed with pork lard.
Tacacho is eaten with pork jerky (dried and smoked meat) and with chorizos made with the ground meat of the same animal and various condiments.
This dish is never missing in the famous Fiesta de San Juan celebrated in Iquitos, Yurimaguas, Pucallpa, Tarapoto, and other Peruvian Amazonian towns and cities, from the eve of June 24.
Tacacho con Cecina
3.-Suri skewers
The suri is a coleopteran insect considered a pest that lives in the stems of palm trees. It is prepared in “anticuchos” or skewers.
Suris are high in protein and vitamins. Its soft texture and flavor resemble chicken and is eaten with pieces of yucca and parboiled or roasted plantain.
Brochetas de Suri
4.-Sudado de Doncella
Sudado de doncella is a typical dish of the Peruvian jungle. It is an excellent way to make fish since the fine and sensitive meat retains all its delicacy, flavor, and nutritional power.
The sudado is prepared at a very low heat so that the components release their water content and produce a slow cooking and is seasoned with lemon, this dish is eaten with parboiled cassava or white rice.
The Peruvian Amazon Research Institute has a project underway to turn the maidenhair into the flagship fish of the fish farming activity in the Department of Ucayali.
Sudado de Doncella
5.- Arroz Chaufa de Charapa
If you are one of those people who like rice, this delicious dish is for you. The charapa chaufa rice is an oriental chaufa rice, but mixed with typical Peruvian jungle ingredients such as jerky and Amazonian chorizo.
Arroz Chaufa de Charapa
6.-Timbuche
Timbuche is a soup known in the Peruvian jungle as “levanta muertos”, for its ability to revive people exhausted by physical or mental effort.
Its main ingredients are fresh fish, eggs, and coriander. Some preparations contain 5 or 6 types of fish and are a festival of flavors. Have you ever tried it?
timbuche
7.- Ceviche of Camu Camu
Camu camu is a tree that grows in soils flooded by Amazonian rivers, whose citrus fruit has up to 16 times more vitamin C than orange pulp.
The camu camu cebiche was invented in Iquitos. The camu camu is sold frozen and vacuum packed, which facilitates the preparation of the famous “leche de tigre” for the ceviche. It is considered one of the typical dishes of the jungle.
Ceviche of Camu Camu
8.- Fried Palometa
Palometas are a species of fish that inhabit fresh and salt waters of the Peruvian jungle. It is disc-shaped and its color is predominantly silver.
The fried palometa is a common dish in the Peruvian Amazon that is eaten with patacones or tostones (mechanically flattened and fried green plantain), seasoned with a dressing based on aji charapita and onion. It is one of the most delicious typical dishes of the jungle.
9.- Patarashca
The native jungle people prepare this typical jungle dish using various types of meat that in some cases can be exotic.
This fish is covered by bijao leaves, pierced by a bamboo cane and finally cooked over charcoal.
Patarashca
10.-Yucca Fritters
Yucca has been cultivated in South America for several thousand years. It is a staple food of the rural peoples of South America and is eaten boiled and fried. It is also served as a dessert with the addition of caramelized paprika, making it one of the preferred typical dishes of the jungle.
The buñuelo is a fried flour dough that can be sweet or salty. For the sweet yucca fritter, peel the tuber, boil it, and then grind it to obtain a dough to be mixed with other ingredients, which in most Peruvian recipes are sugar, salt, beaten egg, baking soda, and anise seeds.
Buñuelos de Yuca
11.- Churos
The churo is a freshwater mollusk that is a jungle delicacy and an important source of protein for native Peruvians, which makes it one of the typical dishes of the jungle.
The edible part of the churos is cut into small pieces and prepared in a stew with garlic, salt, and plantains.
12.- Chicken Inchicapi with Peanuts
This delicacy is one of the typical dishes of the jungle, it is prepared mostly on birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions, with the pica Tierra hens that traditional Peruvians raise in their backyards. It is a soup rich in protein.
The word “inchicapi” comes from the Quechua words “inchik” (peanut) and “api” (soup), which results in “peanut soup”, as the recipe contains ground peanuts.
Other ingredients are ground corn or corn flour, garlic, chili peppers, bell pepper, and sachacilantro. The chicken pieces are softened in a pot with water and separated from the broth. A liquefied with toasted peanuts, the peppers, the bell pepper, and the sachacilantro is prepared and incorporated into the broth with the garlic and the corn dissolved in water.
It is heated for a few minutes and served with chicken prey, a boiled egg, and yucca slices on each plate.
Inchicapi de Gallina con Maní
If you are visiting the incredible Peruvian Amazon, we recommend you learn more about its customs and try these particular but delicious typical dishes of the Peruvian jungle. Which dish caught your attention the most? Leave us your comments.
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