Salteñas is the name of the national dish of Bolivia consisting of crescent-shaped, filled pockets of dough. The name is derived from the first known baker of these delicacies, who was born in the city of Salta, but he was later exiled to Potosí. Oven-baked and filled with meat (typically chicken or beef), salteñas are commonly served for breakfast or consumed as a mid-day snack. The sweet pastry and its braided crust have a unique color and flavor that is of key importance to authentic Bolivian salteñas, due to the crushed seeds of the adobo bush, along with added spices such as cumin and oregano, called achiote spice. Salteñas are somewhat difficult to prepare because special skills are required to make them, but practice makes perfect, and the sweet smell of freshly baked salteñas is always worth the effort.
Sajta de pollo is a spicy chicken stew from western Bolivia, especially associated with La Paz and the Altiplano. Large pieces of chicken are cooked in a thick sauce based on ají amarillo, onion, garlic, cumin, and peas, then served with potatoes, tunta, and a fresh onion-and-tomato sarsa. The sauce is usually yellow to deep orange rather than vividly bright yellow, depending on the type and concentration of the ají. The present form of sajta developed within the wider Andean family of picantes, stews in which ground chile peppers form the main flavor base. In the Bolivian highlands, chicken was combined with native Andean ingredients such as ají and preserved potatoes, producing the combination now closely identified with La Paz. It is similar to picante de pollo, with the main difference being the type of chili peppers used, the level of spiciness, and the resulting flavor profile. Sajta de pollo is milder and creamier, while picante de pollo is spicier and richer. It is especially associated with festive meals and large gatherings and commonly appears during Carnival and Todos Santos, although it is not restricted to those occasions. In La Paz, it remains part of the city’s recognized culinary repertoire and is also served during major civic celebrations and food festivals. The stew usually begins with a whole chicken divided into large bone-in pieces. The chicken can be simmered first to produce a broth or browned directly with the seasonings before adding liquid. Bone-in pieces remain moist during the long simmer and contribute additional flavor to the sauce. The defining ingredient is ají amarillo, usually used as a ground paste or finely ground dried chile. Despite its name, its color can range from yellow-orange to a deeper orange. The ají is cooked with finely chopped onion and garlic, usually in oil, until the raw flavor disappears and the mixture thickens and becomes aromatic. Cumin and black pepper are common seasonings, while some versions add parsley or other aromatics. The ají needs to cook thoroughly because undercooked ground chile can taste harsh and slightly bitter. The chicken is added to the chile base with enough stock or cooking liquid to form a sauce. Green peas are a characteristic addition and are simmered with the meat until tender. The stew is cooked gently rather than boiled aggressively, allowing the sauce to reduce while the chicken remains tender. The finished sauce should be substantial enough to coat the chicken but still contain enough liquid to spread across the potatoes and other accompaniments. Sajta is therefore closer to a thick, saucy stew than to either a dry chile paste or a thin soup. One of its most distinctive accompaniments is tunta, also called white chuño. Tunta is an Andean potato preserved through repeated freezing, thawing, soaking, washing, and drying. The process produces a pale, lightweight potato with an exceptionally long shelf life. It is not simply an ordinary potato dried in the sun. Before it can be eaten, dried tunta is soaked in water until rehydrated, often overnight, then washed thoroughly and boiled until tender. Its porous structure allows it to absorb sauces particularly well. A particularly characteristic version served with sajta is tunta rebozada con maní, in which the cooked tunta is combined or coated with a sauce based on ground peanuts, often with fresh cheese. The nutty, creamy accompaniment sits beside the spicy chicken rather than simply functioning as another ingredient in the main yellow sauce. Ground peanuts can also appear directly in some versions of sajta, thickening the sauce and giving it a richer texture. The amount varies considerably, so peanuts should be treated as an established variation rather than an essential component of every sajta. Chuño can accompany the stew as well, but it is not simply a darker version of tunta produced only by sun-drying. Both products rely on the extreme nighttime cold of the Andes. Dark chuño is repeatedly frozen and dried with less washing, retaining its dark skin and stronger earthy flavor. At the same time, tunta undergoes additional soaking and washing that removes pigments and produces its characteristic white color. Boiled potatoes are another standard component. Floury potatoes work especially well because their mild flavor and soft texture contrast with the concentrated ají sauce. White rice also appears frequently, although a plate does not need to contain every possible starch at once. The fresh topping is usually called sarsa or sarza. Thinly sliced onion is combined with tomato and locoto, the thick-fleshed Andean chile known for its sharp heat. Salt and sometimes oil or other seasonings complete the mixture. It is added at serving time so that the vegetables remain crisp and fresh against the warm stew. The locoto gives the sarsa a different kind of heat from the cooked ají amarillo in the stew. The sauce provides a deeper, cooked chile flavor, while the fresh locoto adds a sharper and more immediate heat. A typical plate therefore brings together several separate components rather than placing everything into one pot: chicken coated in ají amarillo sauce, boiled potatoes, tunta—often with peanut and cheese—and fresh sarsa. Rice may be added for an even more substantial serving.
Sanduíche de chola is a Bolivian sandwich filled with roasted pork, salsa, llajua sauce, and vegetables such as carrots and onions. The ingredients are usually tucked inside large sandwich buns. This sandwich is mostly eaten in the afternoon and paired with a cold beer on the side. The word chola in its name refers to cholitas, the indigenous women who typically sell it on the streets of La Paz.
Plato paceño is a traditional dish consisting of a combination of lima beans, potatoes, corn, and fried cheese. In La Paz, it is typically consumed for lunch or dinner. Although the dish typically does not contain meat, there are many Bolivians who disregard the rules and put some meat such as grilled beef or pork on the plate. Locals also like to add the famous Bolivian hot sauce called llajua to plato paceño in order to add some spiciness to the meal.
Chairo is a traditional thick soup with pre-Colombian origins. It is made with the unique Bolivian chuño starch, meat (usually beef and lamb), cooked wheat, and vegetables such as carrots, onions, and corn. The soup is often additionally flavored with cumin, black pepper, and garlic. When served, chairo is garnished with fresh chopped mint. It is recommended to serve the soup while it is still piping hot, preferably in clay bowls.
Ají de lengua is a traditional stew with a spicy flavor. It is made with beef tongue, oil, onions, tomatoes, hot chili peppers, parsley, cumin, oregano, and (often) green peas. The tongue is boiled, cut into thin slices, and it is then cooked with the rest of the ingredients. This hearty stew is traditionally served with chuño potatoes and steamed rice on the side.
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