Try Chicken Caucau Today
It is January, a month when people set goals to do new things. Since the month is nearing its end why not try a new dish, a delicious chicken caucau.
This exquisite dish is typical of our country’s capital, but we also make it in our city. The taste is just different. It is more original. More Andean.
You will not find this dish in our markets as you might a rice and egg, or a parrot stew (estofado de loro). It is prepared in very few restaurants of our city. It would be strange to see this dish on a blackboard announcing the day’s offerings.
The main ingredients of a chicken caucau are: potatoes, rice, and chicken. These three form the center of the dish, before you add the seasonings and then decorate the dish with some minced fresh parsley.
Only a few people, it seem, really know how to prepare this delicious meal in Cusco. For example, chefs generally know because they studied it in school. Many mothers, however, do know how to make it up. Without having studied in school they know how to prepare many dishes and get from the amazing flavor. They know how to make the food because their mothers, our grandmothers, gave them knowledge of cooking. If you do not know how to make this dish, here is a recipe for you.
Ingredients for 5 Persons:
- 1 kilo of white potatoes
- ½ chicken breast
- ¼ kilos of fresh peas.
- ½ kilo rice
- 1 medium onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 fresh yellow ajies
- 1 package of Sibarita palillo (sibarita brand turmeric)
- Cumin and pepper to taste
- salt
- 1 sprig of mint
- 1 sprig of parsley
- oil
Preparation:
Peel and mince the garlic finely. Also mince the onion. Then clean the yellow peppers, the ajies) and blend them. Finally peel and dice the potatoes in small cubes. Cut the chicken brest also into small cubes.
Once it all is ready, heat the oil in pot When hot, quickly cook the garlic until golden, then add the onion. When it it ready add the cumin, pepper, and turmeric (palillo). Stir constantly and add the blended yellow aji, followed by the mint. Once it is golden add three cups of water and let it boil for fifteen minutes. Then add the chicken, the potatoes, and the peas. Leave it to cook for ten minutes. Add salt to taste. Finally mince the parsley very finely and serve up your caucau with cooked white rice. On top of the dish sprinkle the very finely minced parsley to give it a good look.