The food of Peru is an odd yet delicious part of the experience. It may not seem like it, but their food has the best of several cultures with exotic local ingredients. Anything with lemon juice and aji of Peru is worth a try. Just keep the acidity and spiciness of the dishes before you try the local Peruvian cuisine.

Aji de Gallina (Creamy Chicken)

Aji de Gallina is a chicken dish in Peru with lots of spice yet does not taste too spicy. The texture of Aji de Gallina is rather creamy because of condensed milk and sauce inside it. This creamy texture is created by the process of cooking the chicken in yellow chili and spices. The Aji de Gallina used to be cheap food, mostly for slaves, yet healthy and rich, which has remained a part of their tradition. Speaking of tradition, Aji de Gallina is usually served with boiled potatoes and a hard-boiled egg.

There is also an alternative vegetarian dish of the Aji de Gallina, which is also worth a try, but it is not as amazing as the original. When you order the Aji de Gallina, they may serve it on a bed of rice. Some recipes also use cheese in the sauce, which tastes great as well.

Anticuchos (Grilled Heart)

Anticuchos is an exotic dish in Peruvian cuisine that is considered a street-food or appetizer in most places. It is basically the grilled heart or liver of a cow on a skewer. The meat for Anticuchos is cut into small cubes and marinated with aji, garlic, cumin, vinegar and then put over a hot coal fire. Between the pieces of meat, there are onions and potatoes. Once the cooking is done, the meat and vegetables are drizzled with lime. Anticuchos is not something to keep you full for long periods. Therefore, it is best to just try it as a snack on the street or as the usual appetizer of the sit-in restaurants. If the idea of new and spicy food does not bother you, Anticuchos is the best thing to try while in Peru.

Cuy (Guinea Pig)

If you had the stomach and “heart” to try the Anticuchos, be sure to also try the Cuy in Peru. Cuy means guinea pig in Spanish, and it has been a portion of food in South America for long before even the Incas. Cuy may seem like a scary food, especially since there are considered pets in some countries, but the story behind them here is different. The guinea pigs used to be a bother and were seen as pests, tasty and nutritious.

Having that story, they became part of the food in Peru and were made into Cuy, which is a stuffed guinea pig with herbs. The Cuy is traditionally barbequed over an open fire and served with aji sauce and potatoes. The traditional version or the deep-fried version are both available wherever you travel and taste crispy and delicious.

Cuy (Guinea Pig)

If you had the stomach and “heart” to try the Anticuchos, be sure to also try the Cuy in Peru. Cuy means guinea pig in Spanish, and it has been a portion of food in South America for long before even the Incas. Cuy may seem like a scary food, especially since there are considered pets in some countries, but the story behind them here is different. The guinea pigs used to be a bother and were seen as pests, tasty and nutritious.

Having that story, they became part of the food in Peru and were made into Cuy, which is a stuffed guinea pig with herbs. The Cuy is traditionally barbequed over an open fire and served with aji sauce and potatoes. The traditional version or the deep-fried version are both available wherever you travel and taste crispy and delicious.