Discover The Variety Of Native Potatoes Of Peru
The native potatoes of Peru are very special. It is said that there are more than 3,000 different varieties of potatoes in the country. In this way, Peru would be the Andean country that would have the most autochthonous tubers of this type.
In fact, it is such an important and significant product that it has its own day of celebration, National Potato Day, which takes place on May 30 each year. And on it there are exhibitions, congresses and fairs to show the importance that this delicacy has in gastronomy and for health.
Potato cultivation in Peru
The cultivation of the potato in Peru has its origin around 8000 BC Its different varieties are grown from sea level to 5000 meters high and there are sweet and sour. They are one of the main engines of agriculture in the country and there are hundreds of families who live from their cultivation.
This tuber is widely spread throughout the world and is one of the basic ingredients when creating the most varied recipes that we can imagine. They serve as an aperitif, as a side, as a dessert, to make bread, as a base for food and to even make medicine.
And its shapes and colors are really pretty. Here we show you some of these native potatoes from Peru and we will tell you a little about them and for what dish of Peruvian cuisine they are essential.
Some of the native potatoes of Peru
The yellow potato
It is a potato with a dry texture that bursts when cooked, so it peels easily. For this reason, it is widely used to make purees with milk and a little butter and to make Causa Lima, one of the most popular dishes in the whole country.
The perricholi potato
It is a potato with brown and purple skin tones. Its interior is humid, so it is the preferred one to make the french fries that usually accompany grilled chicken, a national delicacy and which also has its own day.
Papa Sumac Soncco
It is one of the most beautiful inside, since a kind of purple flower appears in its white pulp. It is grown in the Huancavelica region, at about 4200 meters above sea level. It is one of the most used to make potato chips, because when cut very thin it has an impressive appearance.
Wenccos potato
Also known as ‘cacho de toro’ (bull horn), it is an elongated potato with one of its ends ending in a point. Its interior is purple and it is usually fried in the shell. Its consumption is one of the most recommended due to its high level of vitamins and antioxidants.
The huayro potato, another of the native potatoes of Peru
It is an elongated potato that absorbs liquids very well and, with it, the taste of food. For this reason, it is the one most used in beef stew, a dish with a rich sauce in which to dip the huayro potato.
The potato yawar huaycco
Also known as the ‘potato flower’, its interior is deep red and when cut very thin, it is ideal for frying. It has many nutrients and anticancer compounds. Its presence is truly spectacular, it is one of the most beautiful of all the native potatoes that make up the great variety that are grown in Peru.
The black potato
It is small in size and black skin. Its interior is dark purple, its texture is floury and its flavor is sweet. Interestingly, it is one of the native potatoes of Peru that are also cultivated in Spain, specifically, in the Canary Islands.
P apa canchán, one of the most used native potatoes of Peru
It is one of the most used in Peruvian gastronomy. Its exterior color is pink and its cooking is very good, so it is often used in stews such as locro. Its cultivation is carried out both in the coastal and mountain areas.
Papa yungay
It is one of the best preserved in storage throughout the year. And also, it is one of the most versatile in the kitchen, which is why it is present in many of the traditional dishes that are cooked in Peruvian homes.
