A Delicious Dabble: The magic of Peruvian Cuisine

Few countries on this planet are gifted with the amazing geographical diversity than Peru, a remote Latin American country,  washed by the Pacific Ocean. And nothing else reflects so beautifully and vibrantly its charming diversity, than its unique cuisine. From the snow-capped Andes mountain range and desert to seashore and Amazonian tropical forests, 30 kinds of microclimates can be found there. With 84 of the 104 climatic zones on the globe, it is one of the 12 countries in the world with the greatest mega-diversity It has suitable conditions for growing fruits and vegetables throughout the year. The Humboldt Current of cold oceanic waters that run through the Pacific Ocean off the Peruvian coast allows the existence of a great variety of fish and shellfish (Peru is one of the main fishing countries in the world). Therefore, If your impression on Peru stops at the Machu Picchu or Inca Empire, it’s time to discover far more, and what better than its cuisine, nurtured and enriched over centuries and emerging out of the cultures and customs of different races and ethnicities that migrated and mingled with the natives on its soil for centuries.

A celebration of rich cultural heritage

Peru-Nature’s bounties 

Peruvian cuisine is known for its incredible diversity and unique flavours, which are influenced by the country's history and culture. Peruvian cuisine is a fusion of indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques - European flavours and techniques brought over by Spanish colonisers, African influences from the slave trade, and Asian influences from Chinese and Japanese immigrants. This has resulted in a cuisine that is both familiar and exotic, and which features a wide range of ingredients and flavours.

Peruvian cuisine makes use of a wide range of native ingredients, such as potatoes, corn, quinoa, and various types of peppers. These ingredients have been cultivated in Peru for thousands of years and are a key part of the country's culinary heritage.Peru's long coastline provides an abundant supply of fresh seafood, which is used in many traditional dishes. Ceviche, a dish of marinated raw fish, is perhaps the most famous example of Peruvian seafood cuisine.Peruvian cuisine makes use of a wide range of spices, including cumin, oregano, and ají (chili pepper), which give many dishes their distinctive flavour.

Peru's diverse geography and climate have given rise to a wide range of regional cuisines, each with its own distinct flavours and ingredients. For example, the coastal region is known for its seafood, while the highlands are known for hearty stews and soups.Peruvian cuisine reflects the country's complex history and cultural heritage. The fusion of indigenous, European, African, and Asian flavours is a testament to the country's history of cultural exchange and migration. The use of native ingredients and spices reflects Peru's long history of agriculture and trade. And the diversity of regional cuisines reflects the country's varied geography and climate. Overall, Peruvian cuisine is a celebration of the country's rich cultural heritage and the diversity of its people.

Traditional Peruvian cuisine can be divided geographically into three branches: seaside, mountain and rainforest. The depth of the food has also been attracting global attention in recent years, as many local restaurants receive international exposure.From ceviche to quinoa, Peru has made a mark on contemporary food trends, and a culinary tradition that has its origin more than a thousand years ago, is fast becoming a flavour and favourite in many parts of globe. What then defines the gastronomic culture of Peru?

Papa-The Ubiquitous Potato

Long before quinoa, Peruvian had brought the world a staple food in the form of a humble root vegetable. It all began with the Spanish expedition and subsequent discovery of the new continent. After landing on the Americas, the explorers initiated Columbian Exchange which saw them take home foods unheard of in the Old World, such as potato, tomato and maize. The life in Europe was never the same since then. The adaptability and fast growth rate of potato made it instantly popular in European countries. It would be almost unimaginable how people there would survive the difficult episodes in history without it. Peruvian potatoes come in all shapes and colours, and more importantly, genetically unmodified. As the birthplace of potato,Peru’s Instituto Peruano de la Papa estimates there are more than 3,000 varieties grown on home soil. And they form an inseparable component of Peruvian Cuisine. 

An assortment of Dishes

Corn is Everywhere

Corn is another significant export from Peru besides potato. Similarly, it boasts a great amount of varieties in different hues, with the purple maiz morado being the most expensive. Corn can be eaten as a snack or in a meal. For instance, choclo, distinctive for its large kernels, can be toasted in oil for making the crispy snack cancha, or consumed directly after sun-dried. Corn juice is used to produce chicha, the national beverage with or without alcohol. 

Different Corns

Ceviche- The National Passion

Ceviche is a favourite dish of many in Peruvian cuisine, and is often the meal of choice for many locals. The coastal sensation is made Ceviche with freshly caught seafood steeped in onion, chilli, and most importantly, lemon or lime juice, resulting in the fish appearing as “cooked”. Like any household delicacy around the world, every family has its own secret recipe.

 Guinea pig- A Delicacy?

Guinea pig may be a pet in many countries but for the Peruvians, it is no different than pork or beef. Seasoned with spices and grilled on open fire, guinea pig (or cuy) has been a delicacy for the Andes people for a long time.

Salchipapas -  Their Fast Food

A South American cuisine isn’t complete without street food, and salchipapas is the dish you’ll find at every turn in the city. It is self-explanatory, consisting of sausage and potato fries, served with tomato sauce and mayonnaise on the side. Forget about your calories counter and just dig in.

The Mother Earth

Ever so respectful to the natural surrounding they live in, the highland people are adept in making the most of the conditions. Pachamanca is the perfect example of this mentality. According to the native language, “pacha” means earth while “manca” can be translated as pot. An earth oven is created to cook spice-marinated meat and potatoes. The food is covered with hot stones on the ground. It’s one of those dishes that make you wonder how simple good food can actually be.

The Peruvian genius of Fusion

Peruvian cuisine has been constantly shaped by the external influences, from Spanish Conquistador to Asian immigrants arriving from the 19th century. There is a large community of Cantonese there, which gave rise to Chifa cuisine, a Chinese-Peruvian hybrid food featured prominently in cities like Lima. Dishes like lomo saltado, a beef steak stir-fry with onion, tomato and French fries, demonstrate such cross-cultural mingling.

Lomo Saltado

A dining experience in an authentic Peruvian restaurant could be both experimental and exciting. Ours turned out to a very gratifying  and delectable one.

The magic of Peruvian Cuisine

A dining experience in an authentic Peruvian restaurant could be both experimental and exciting. Ours turned out to a very gratifying  and delectable one. Causa is located in Casa de Campo, the exclusive resort that King Carlos of Spain reportedly decided to settle in, after his forced. abdication. The place has to be special. And it is, in all respects.

Casa de Campo – the Caribbean’s Blue Diamond

If the word “exclusive” is used to describe a particular travel destination it would most certainly have to be Casa de Campo on the southeastern shores of the Dominican Republic. This 7,000 acres of paradise in Romana is about an hour outside Santo Domingo, the capital. Once home to the private retreat of Charles Bluhdorn, Gulf+Western CEO and founder who built the estate in 1975 on the company’s sugar mill property, it is a complete township, only to be afforded by the elite and the super rich.

More than 100 kms(60 miles) of paved roads, 1950 residences, 3 got courses designed by the one and only Pete Dye, 13 Har-Tru Tennis Courts, the best shooting centre in the Caribbean, three polo fields, dozens of clothing and fashion stores, services, more than 25 restraints and bars, supermarkets, gas station, hardware stores, movieplex and all the amenities make the Campa the most complete resort in the Caribbean. Thousands of golf enthusiasts, pros and amateurs alike, flock to this garden of Eden to play golf here at the “”Teeth of the Dog’’ golf course which has 6 of its 18 holes located overlooking the deep blue Caribbean Sea. It has a modern, 400-berth marina, complete with a shipyard. The Casa de Campo Marina has also played host to the Rolex Farr 40 sailing cup.

Causa - Gastronomia Peruana

Set within a Peruvian themed dining atmosphere with signature cocktails and authentic Peruvian food, the establishment is led by the creative expertise of Chef Anthony Masas and his team. The menu is eclectic and includes dishes such as lomo saltado (a stir fry that typically combines marinated strips of sirloin with onions, tomatoes, and other ingredients, and usually served with rice), and ceviche. Fresh fish dishes are bountiful and deliciously prepared. If you want to relax with a cocktail, you might want to try the watermelon caipirinha. Located in the Plaza Portofina in the fashionable La Marina, it commands a breath-taking view of Caribbean sea.

What is Causa?

Causa is the name of an iconic dish of Peruvian Food, but colloquially it is used in Peru to refer to a very close friend. It has an informal, modern environment with a positive vibe, Causa’s menu features Chef’s Masas’ interpretation of the authentic, bold, and brilliant flavors of Peruvian cuisine focusing on three of the most recognized styles of Peruvian Food: Creole, Nikkei, and Chifa.

Creole gastronomy is a style of cuisine born in the colonial era, from the fusion between European, African, and Pre-Columbian American cultures. On the other hand, Nikkei cuisine is one that fuses the exuberance of Peruvian cuisine with the calm of Japanese cuisine. In Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Japanese cutting techniques mixes with Peruvian products and seasonings. Chifa is a classic you have to try, combining the tradition of Chinese cuisine of stir-fries with Peruvian ingredients.

An Enchanting Setting

The setting for the dinner could not have been more idyllic. The Portofino Plaza where it is located itself sits on the Caribbean sea. It is indeed encircles by its deep blue and placid waters. As we sat on the comfortable chairs around a table lit up by a quaint stick of a lamp, caressed by the cool sea breeze, the ambience could not have been more enchanting. There would be few locations where dining becomes an experience of the highest forms of visual and culinary delight.

We were strongly tempted to savour the dishes that have gained some fame namely the tuna tartare, which features fresh, raw tuna mixed with avocado and mango, and served with crispy wonton chips; and the octopus carpaccio, which is thinly sliced octopus served with a citrus dressing, arugula, and capers.

And the Food

However, we decided to sample at least one dish of the varieties mentioned in its colourfully calligraphed menu card. We began with an anticuchos, aji panka marinated skewers cooked on Robata’ grill, served with roasted potatoes, corn on the cob and Chimichurri. We ordered the traditional Ceviche-‘Ceviche Traditional’ that was white Fish, Lime, ‘Chocio’ and ‘chulpi’ corn, onions and sweet potatoes.We also ordered a Causa namely Cameron con Salsa Rosa which actually was shrimp with pink sauce, potato puree seasoned with Aji Amarillo pepper paste with a slightly acidic touch. And lastly we ordered a Chifa dish- Fried rice with vegetables, stir-fried in Wok with eggs and Chinese onions. But even before these dishes arrived, we asked for a ‘Gyoza’- i.e.grilled chicken with BBQ sauce Nikkei style, and for good measure, ‘Hamachi’- Nigiri which was Truffled Ponzy and crispy fries.

No dining experience at Cause Restaurant is complete without trying their signature dessert, the Chocolate & Coconut Trilogy. This dessert features layers of rich chocolate cake, coconut cream, and toasted coconut, all topped with a decadent chocolate ganache. A wonderfully sweet way to end a great meal.

One thing that stood out was the beautiful presentation of dishes. A lot can be written about the tastes and the sensations and aromas, and the enticing sights that the dishes created, bursting with strong but delectable flavours.

My description of this delicious dalliance at this fantastic place is however, flawed in one respect. It does not discuss the exclusive range of drinks and beverages on offer, including the very unique Pisco cocktails. If, followers of Bacchus, therefore, find my account incomplete, I tender an unqualified apology.

The delicious food, stunning views, and ritzy atmosphere made it a memory to cherish. Causa Restaurant is indeed a fantastic dining destination and an uncommonly pleasant experience that is likely to linger for a long time.

(Writer is an IAS officer. Retired as Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)