One of my favorite things about Peru is the food!! Did you know it was named the top culinary destination in the world? The coast, mountains, and jungle all have their own typical dishes and they are SO GOOD! I have honestly never had a dish I didn’t like here. The food is absolutely amazing! That being said, I thought I’d share the recipe for one of the dishes we love to make at home. It is super easy, full of vegetables, and has TONS of flavor. Here it is:
Estofado de Pollo (Chicken Stew)
Ingredients:
6 pieces of chicken
½ cup of flour (if fried chicken desired)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
4 tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup peas
5 carrots, peeled and chopped (smaller the better as they cook faster)
½ Cup raisins
2 sticks cinnamon
2 cups white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Coat chicken in flour and fry if desired, or simply salt and pepper to taste. Brown garlic and onion in large pot. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Combine. Incorporate carrots, peas, raisins, cinnamon, white wine, and chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Combine well. Top and cook on med-low for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and carrots soft. Serve with potatoes and rice. (See video below).
Tips and Tricks:
Before adding onions and garlic, let oil heat first. Add the onions, brown, and then add garlic, mixing for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Cooking garlic too long removes its flavor.
The smaller you cut the carrots, the faster they will cook.
Feel free to adjust how much of each vegetable you put in! And the other ingredients, too. I never measure anything, just kind of throw it in, so these are all guesstimates. If you like carrots, add more. If you don’t like peas, don’t add any. Make it however you like it! We really like vegetables, so we add lots to ours!
I think this would make an excellent crockpot recipe! Haven’t tried it here in Peru, but the longer it’s left cooking on the stove the more flavor it has so I assume the same would happen in a crockpot! If you try it, let me know how it goes!
If you want to serve it like an authentic Peruvian dish, you must form the rice. I’m not joking! Any restaurant you go to, your rice will be in some sort of shape, NEVER just thrown on your plate. Have some fun. Try it out! I use a small coffee mug. Just fill it will rice, packing it down gently, then flip it over onto your plate.
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Let me know if you make it and what you think!
¡Espero que te guste! ¡Provecho¡ (Hope you like it! Enjoy!)