RecipesTraditional Food

Kapchi de Setas, a Delight of this Season in Cuzco

The kapchi of setas, wild mushroom kapchi, is a dish that typifies Cusco. It has an exquisite flavor and contains ingredients from the region. Some of these tend to be consumed throughout the world, but they are also specific to Cusco where they have lots of meaning. I am referring to the green fava bean and potatoes. Besides these, the dish requires local wild mushrooms, cheese and milk. Huacatay, a local herb, gives it additional flavor.

This dish is identical to the kapchi de habas, or broad bean kapchi. It requires the same ingredients other than the mushrooms. These are brought to the city from the high hillsides where they are gathered. Up high is where they find these delicious mushrooms which grow because of the constant rains in this season.

You can find them now in our markets. The vendors, caseras tend to sell them in mounds and by kilos. Here is an excellent recipe so you can prepare them at home.

 

Cuzco's Wild Mushrooms
Cuzco’s Wild Mushrooms

Ingredients

(4 personas

. 12 kilo rice

. 1 kilo mariba potatoes (a yellow fleshed potato).

. Oil

. Salt

. Cumin and pepper

. Garlic

. 1 cabeza de cebolla

. 1 kilo green fava beans

. 1 can of evaporated milk

. 1 large slice of cheese like a farmer’s cheese

. ½ kilo wild mushrooms

. 1 sprig of huacatay huacatay

Preparation:

Dice the onion into small squares, grind the garlic. In a deep pan heat the oil and soften the onion and the garlic. Next add cumin and pepper to taste. Once the onion is lightly golden add four cups of water. Let cook for ten minutes. Then add the four whole potatoes and dice the rest in medium sized cubes. Immediately add the peeled broad beans, the huacatay sprig, salt and pepper. When it starts to boil add the mushrooms that are well washed and roughly diced. Boil it all together for ten minutes. Add the cheese that is diced into small cubes and finally add the milk. Once ready serve this juicy dish in the company of fluffy white rice.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button