Top 10 Peruvian Tubers

Papa púrpura are Peruvian purple potatoes. The skin and flesh have a deep purple color, and when cooked, the potatoes usually turn bluish. They're cooked just like regular potatoes and the flavor is also similar to regular potatoes, just with buttery notes. It's recommended to roast them, add them to salads, or deep-fry them. In pre-Hispanic times, purple potatoes were usually reserved exclusively for the Inca Kings, and nowadays some chefs affectionately call them Gems of the Andes. Interestingly, they contain two to three times the antioxidants found in yellow or white potatoes.Expand

Ulluco is an economically important South American root crop that is indigenous to the Andean region in South America. It is widely cultivated and consumed in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile. Having its roots in ancient times, this root vegetable used to represent an essential food crop for the Incas, and it has long been grown primarily for its tubers, but also for its leaves, both of which are edible and equally flavorful. Varying in both size and shape, the tubers may have a bright yellow, green, orange, red, pink, or purple exterior that surrounds white or yellow flesh. These tubers are characterized by a smooth, firm, and crispy texture with a distinctive and somewhat earthy flavor. Ulluco can be enjoyed raw, cooked, pickled, or dried, and traditional South American cuisine offers plenty of specialties made with this root, such as the Peruvian meat soup called olluquito con charqui, the Bolivian ají de papalisas (ulluco tubers with peppers), and the Ecuadorian mellocos soup or ulluco tuber soup.Expand

This South American perennial plant has long been grown for its edible roots. Yacón tubers resemble sweet potatoes and may come in various colors including white, pink, red, yellow, orange, or purple, while their flesh is typically white. This root-like vegetable is characterized by a distinctive, mildly sweet flavor with hints of apples, pears, celery, and watermelon. It has a pleasant crispiness that the tubers retain even after they have been cooked. Yacón is highly-appreciated for being a fantastic source of moisture, electrolytes, salts, and starch, which is why the juice of its tubers used to be enjoyed as a potent refreshing beverage by the indigenous populations in the past, and is probably the reason for its name, which translates to water root in the Inca language. The nutritious tubers of yacón are incredibly versatile, and they can be consumed both raw and cooked, either as a fruit or a vegetable. Yacón is commonly made into a fruit juice or a syrup, used in a wide range of soups, stews, salads, stir-fries, and curries, roasted with meat, or added to baked goods and desserts.Expand

One of the valuable food sources and medicinal plants of indigenous Andean populations, and native to the Andean region, mashua is a type of tuberous crop that continues to be grown in countries such as Peru and Bolivia (and to lesser extent in Ecuador), although mostly for household consumption. There are both domesticated and wild mashua varieties, and the plant’s tubers vary in size and color, depending on the variety. Mashua tubers are shiny and cone-shaped and may come in white, pale yellow, orange, red, purple, or even black color. Fresh mashua tubers are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, while a slightly bitter or sour flavor, sometimes with a spicy finish, characterizes their flesh. Although they can be eaten both raw and cooked, mashua tubers are typically preferred cooked, as the flavor of the cooked tubers is more pleasant and somewhat reminiscent of cabbage. They're generally boiled, baked, roasted, or even pickled or sun-dried, and they go particularly well with roasted meat. The flowers and leaves of mashua are also edible, and just like the tubers, they can be enjoyed either raw, in salads, or cooked. The lack of knowledge about its high nutritional value and medicinal properties, along with the common practice of associating its consumption with the lower classes are making this crop undesirable and threatening its existence.Expand

Chuño is an unusual variety of Andean naturally freeze-dried potatoes. The name comes from a Quechua word ch'uñu, which can be literally translated as freeze-dried potatoes. The potatoes have a very long shelf life and are often used in dishes such as stews and soups. Before consumption, the potatoes need to be soaked in water in order to rehydrate. There are two basic varieties of these potatoes – black and white. White chuños are soaked in cold water, then sun-dried, while the black variety is left to freeze overnight, and is then crushed in the morning in order to extract the liquid, but at night, it gets frozen again, so the process is repeated until the potatoes are totally dehydrated.Expand

Pampacorral sweet potatoes are produced in the Quechua, Suni, and Puno regions in the province of Calca in the region of Cusco in Peru. The potatoes are farmed across the Andes and symbolize the gastronomy and the agriculture of local people. There are nine species of potatoes that farmers have selected because of their shape, flavor, and color. Those nine species are further diversified into about 900 varieties. From this huge array, a handful of varieties have been selected in order to promote the lesser-known varieties with great production potential. Mactillo is a long and floury potato with violet skin and white flesh streaked with violet. The Choclluscha is characterized by a bright red skin and red-colored veins running through the flesh. The Pitiquiña has yellow flesh and deep eyes on the skin, while the Chapiña has black skin and flesh that is black to light blue in color. From all of these varieties, the Chapiña and the Choclluscha are especially suitable for frying. In Cusco, the producers also make potato chips – they are washed and peeled, sliced, fried, then dried with absorbent paper before being packed into cardboard boxes.Expand

Papa negra, also called papa mariva, is a variety of potato from the Andean regions of Peru. The negra variety has a unique black skin color, slightly sweet flavor, and floury texture that differentiate it from more commonly known potato varieties in other parts of the world. These potatoes can be used in various traditional Peruvian dishes or simply cooked and eaten in ways similar to other potato varieties. Expand

Tocosh is a traditional food product, also known as Incan penicillin. It's made from local white potatoes that are conservated in mountain spring water. The potatoes are placed into a bag of straw and grass, covered with stones, then left from 12 to 24 months underwater. Once fermented, the pulpy potatoes are dried in the sun. The aromas and flavors are strong and pungent, and tocosh is usually prepared for festive events. It has quite a few medicinal purposes – tocosh is used for pneumonia, gastric ulcers, and common cold, among others. In the region of Huánuco, locals usually make mazamorra or jelly-like desserts and puddings from the fermented and dried potato pulp. Interestingly, in 2014 in Puno, a group of entrepreneurs dehydrated the tocosh then ground it into fine flour and made tocosh ice cream at the International Gastronomic Festival of Lima.Expand

Oca is a potato-like tuber that is believed to have originated in the Andes. The skin of these tubers comes in various colors such as red, orange, purple, yellow, and pink. The color can also be distributed in patterns. Their tuber is long and narrow, while their skin is waxy and wrinkled. They usually have a firm, white or cream-colored flesh. Oca tubers can be cooked or eaten raw, and their leaves and stems can also be consumed. Although it is difficult to specify, most varieties will have a nutty and earthy flavor when cooked, and when eaten fresh, they are usually subtly tart. Oca can be used as a regular potato, but they are typically baked, boiled, or fried. Expand