Carapulcra is an ancestral dish and was part of the Inca diet; they prepared it with llama or alpaca meat. However, with the arrival of the Spanish, that meat was replaced by others, and when African slaves arrived, they changed the seasoning, adding the spicy flavor that characterizes it today.
They added ají panca and ají mirasol, along with peanuts, giving it the final touch. Over time, we have a dish that combines the flavors of the Inca, Spanish, and African cultures.
In the past, Aymara communities prepared carapulcra as a stew with dried potatoes, cooked in a pot with boiling water, in which they believed hot stones had been previously placed.
Origin of the word
The word "carapulcra" derives from the Aymara "qala phurka," which means a stew made with hot stones; however, they were actually referring to the potatoes, which, when dried in the air, cracked like small stones and would disintegrate when placed in boiling water.
In the Ica region, carapulcra has become a typical dish with a spicy flavor, made with pork, served with green noodles. It is a representative dish of Chincha, known as Carapulcra Chinchana.
A celebration of Peruvian tradition
Carapulcra became a dish that could not be missing from popular festivities, turning into a Peruvian tradition. To promote this dish, February 10th was declared Carapulcra Day, celebrating the integration of Andean, African, and Spanish cultures in Peruvian cuisine.
