Peruvian Food – Pachamanca

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The group in front of the Pachamanca : )
The group in front of the Pachamanca : )

Meaning

Pachamanca comes from the Quechua words:

  • pacha = Earth
  • manca = pot. (1)

As these translations imply, the Pachamanca cooking technique involves using the land as an oven and is a traditional Peruvian method of preparing food.

The Day…

To celebrate the end of Ben Cochran’s internship with me here in Cusco, Ben organized a Pachamanca lunch for a few friends he had made along the way, a few paying clients of the Peruvian Cooking Classes where Ben had his internship, and for me. He went out and got all of the ingredients and I helped guide everyone up to Huillar Cocha, about a 20-25 minute bus ride out of town and the location of the Pachamanca feast.

Preparation

The preparation is quite elaborate, and best represented I feel through photos…

Step 1: Ben and the group, with Pedro to the right, preparing the sauces for the Pachamanca feast.
Step 1: Ben and the group, with Pedro to the right, preparing the sauces for the Pachamanca feast.
Step 2: Playing Jenga with rocks in an effort to make a structurally stable stone dome.
Step 2: Playing Jenga with rocks in an effort to make a structurally stable stone dome.
Step 3: Heat the stone dome for 45-60 minutes. These stones will then be used for heating the food.
Step 3: Heat the stone dome for 45-60 minutes. These stones will then be used for heating the food.
Step 4: Set the potatoes and beans out to dry.
Step 4: Set the potatoes and beans out to dry.
Step 5: Marinate the meat (chicken and pork) with yummy sauces and lots of salt.
Step 5: Marinate the meat (chicken and pork) with yummy sauces and lots of salt.
Step 6: Collapse the stones and layer the meat, potatoes and beans with the stones.
Step 6: Collapse the stones and layer the meat, potatoes and beans with the stones.
Step 7: Cover the stones with an herb called muña for flavor.
Step 7: Cover the stones with an herb called muña for flavor.
Step 8: Cover the muña with corn husks for insulation.
Step 8: Cover the muña with corn husks for insulation.
Step 9: Cover the corn husks with a damp cloth.
Step 9: Cover the corn husks with a damp cloth.
Step 10: Cover the damp cloth with plastic so that the dirt that goes on top does not get into the food.
Step 10: Cover the damp cloth with plastic so that the dirt that goes on top does not get into the food.
Step 11: Completely cover the stone, food, muña, corn hust, cloth and plastic heap with Earth.
Step 11: Completely cover the stone, food, muña, corn hust, cloth and plastic heap with Earth.
Step 12: Dig up the food and eat!!!
Step 12: Dig up the food and eat!!!
Step 13: Was it all down with a Cusqueña!
Step 13: Was it all down with a Cusqueña!

Peruvian Cooking Classes

I would like to give a shout out to my friend Pedro at Peruvian Cooking Classes, and of course to Ben who interned there! They provide a really cool service… teaching people all about the ingredients and preparation of tasty Peruvian dishes. If you are in Cusco you should definitely check them out. Here is a link to the website which Ben helped update: http://www.peruviancookingclasses.pe/

A young girl spying on us as if she were a lion!
A young girl spying on us as if she were a lion!
Natural clay used to create a clay sauce... interesting taste and texture for sure.
Natural clay used to create a clay sauce… interesting taste and texture for sure.

Bibliography:

  1. “Pachamanca.”Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 8 Aug. 2015.

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