CULTURE PAGE:

 

                                    Ají de gallina:

The ají de gallina -one of my favorite dishes- shows once again the great diversity and miscegenation of our nation. As we know, our cuisine is characterized by the fusion of cultures that contribute in one way or another to the exquisite dishes that characterize us. By this I mean that Peruvian culinary talent seems to be characterized by our cooks listening to foreigners who contribute to our culture.

 

 The origin of the ají de gallina seems to go back to colonial times in Peru. Researchers like Javier Masías have found that chili pepper and manjar blanco are very close. Although this is very curious, it is important to know that both dishes have the same origin: menjar blanc, a dish that appears in Catalan cuisine in the 14th century, in the Llibre de Sent Soví cookbook, one of the oldest in Europe.

It is said that in the past this dish was presented with a cream that had chicken breast, rice, almonds and that was characterized by its slightly sweet taste due to the addition of sugar. Upon arriving in Peru, this traditional dish takes another course.

The ají de gallina –as we call it- continues to contain breast and walnuts and, instead of having almonds, we opted for a more easily accessible product such as pecans. Finally, we add a touch of Peruvianism, incorporating the yellow pepper. This is why the ají de gallina is losing the sweetness that used to characterize it and begins to become a succulent dish.

The ají de gallina –as we call it- continues to contain breast and walnuts and, instead of having almonds, we opted for a more easily accessible product such as pecans. Finally, we add a touch of Peruvianism, incorporating the yellow pepper. This is why the ají de gallina is losing the sweetness that used to characterize it and begins to become a succulent dish.

The ají de gallina –as we call it- continues to contain breast and walnuts and, instead of having almonds, we opted for a more easily accessible product such as pecans. Finally, we add a touch of Peruvianism, incorporating the yellow pepper. This is why the ají de gallina is losing the sweetness that used to characterize it and begins to become a succulent dish.

 

The ají de gallina is a Peruvian flag dish. It seems that what makes it so special is its history, enriched with culture. The extraordinary thing about Peruvian food is that when one is sitting in front of a dish, such as ají de gallina, one can begin to imagine about its origins, since all dishes tell a particular, unique and unrepeatable story.

  EATING HABITS

Hello, my name is Diego and I am from Peru. For breakfast, I usually have orange juice with a sandwich. For lunch, my family and I eat different types of food accompanied by a passion fruit soda. For dinner, we usually order pizza or grilled chicken.