Sunday, December 4, 2011

Peru Recipes

South Beach Diet Recipe

The republic of Peru is situated on the continent of South America. The influence of the Incas civilization and the Spanish colonial rule is witnessed both in the culture and cuisine of Peru. Geographically, Peru is divided into three parts - the coastline along the Pacific Ocean, the mountainous region in the inlands, and the low lying regions of the Amazon basin. The geographical diversity of this country also has an impact on its varied cuisine.

South Beach Diet Recipe

The oldest dishes that are still cooked in Peru date back to around 1500 years ago. These dishes were known as pachamanca, which means food that is cooked underground. This recipe consists of meat, roots, and herbs that are covered with leaves and roasted in a pit for almost 12 hours. The herbs used to flavor these dishes are cinnamon and cloves.

South Beach Diet Recipe

The differences in climatic conditions in the three geographical regions resulted in a variety of livestock and food crops. Corn and potatoes are the staple foods of the Peruvians. The people in the coastal region were on a diet that consisted of mostly seafood, as it was available in abundance. Protein-rich cereals, such as kiwicha and quinoa, were included in their staple diet.

South Beach Diet Recipe

When the Spanish entered Peru, they brought along herbs and food items that were typical to their country. Foods stuffs such as onion, parsley, wheat, and pork became fairly popular with the people of Peru. In the Amazonian region, river trout served with tropical vegetables and fruits was common.

Exotic dishes are prepared from the meat of wild boars, piranhas, or monkeys. A typical herb that is used by Peruvians is aji, which is a kind of hot chili pepper that is used to spice many of the dishes.

There are typical dishes that are prepared as appetizers, the main course, and accompaniments. Some of the popular appetizers are stuffed avocados, quinoa vegetable soup, and cebiche. The main course may consist of prawns in aji sauce, creamed chicken, or coriander beef stew. Accompaniments that are relished are Peruvian corncobs or stuffed sweet potatoes.

Peru Recipes

South Beach Diet Recipe

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