For over 5,000 years, the Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs cultivated this native American plant.
An Imperial Grain
In Peru, for the Incas, this cereal was the foundation of their entire economy and appeared in all possible forms within their diet.
The importance of Peruvian corn was such that, in the ancient Inca calendar, there was a celebration called Capacocha, where Incas expressed their gratitude to Mama Huaco, whom they considered the provider of Peruvian corn.
The celebration involved sending children, chosen for their physical beauty, to the sacred land of the Incas from the four regions of Tahuantinsuyo. During the event, offerings to the gods and animal sacrifices were made, along with symbolic marriages between children to please Mama Huaco.
The Incas had managed to obtain various types of Peruvian corn, including different colors. There are white, yellow, purple, black, and striped varieties, all of which were present in many Inca dishes.
Corn was also considered an offering object. Researchers have found remains of corn in funerary urns, suggesting it was used as an offering that the deceased carried on their journey to the gods.
Captivating the Conquistadors
With the arrival of the Spanish to America, corn became known worldwide. The colonizers were amazed by this plant, unfamiliar to them, that was highly versatile as a food source. Rapidly, corn was incorporated into traditional Spanish cuisine.
The introduction of new ingredients by the Spaniards gave rise to new dishes combining traditional ways of consuming Peruvian corn with these ingredients.
From this mixture of ingredients with Peruvian corn, very typical dishes of Peruvian cuisine emerged. For example, in northern Peru, you can enjoy pepián, a stew prepared with grated corn kernels, sautéed with onion, garlic, and chili peppers. In Arequipa, you can also savor a dish called 'El Soltero,' made since colonial times, with broad beans, corn, onion, and fresh cheese.
During banquets offered by landowners and colonizers to their compatriots, it was common to enjoy a good dish of 'mazamorra morada.' This dish is characterized by the use of purple corn, dried fruits such as peaches, prunes, and spices like cinnamon, which the Spanish contributed to our culture.
Peruvian Chicha, a Corn Beverage
Peruvian corn is not only found in a wide variety of dishes in Peruvian cuisine. The most traditional Peruvian beverage, made from corn, is chicha de jora. This drink results from the fermentation of corn. Throughout its history, this beverage has traveled a long and winding path.
The ancient inhabitants of the Peruvian Andes used it in their ceremonies. Its consumption was questioned by the church that arrived with the conquistadors, as it was opposed to the liturgical rites they wanted to impose.
It was also banned by numerous political administrations over the years, considered a disruptive factor. However, none of this prevented chicha from reaching us unchanged to the present day.
Today, Peruvian chicha has been revived as a national drink, and its production processes have been adapted to meet health requirements to ensure the population’s safety.
The fermentation processes, which previously were carried out using human saliva, have been replaced by the use of natural yeasts and pasteurization methods.
Essential in the Global Diet
Currently, more than 55 species of Peruvian corn are cultivated in Peru. All their varieties are part of the gastronomic universe of Peruvian cuisine, appearing in desserts, starters, main dishes, and, of course, drinks, as previously mentioned.
Corn does not need to be revalued; it is already part of the food heritage in all countries around the world.
Therefore, when we refer to it, we are contributing to recognizing the enormous contribution that the cultures and civilizations that inhabited our land have made to nutrition.
