The Cold Potato Dish From Peru You Have To Try At Least Once

If you have ever been to the glorious country of Peru, you've probably visited the famous Amazon rainforest or trekked the Inca trail and reveled in the magnificent sights of the stone city of Machu Picchu. But this multicultural country, which is the third largest in South America, has much more to offer than beautiful nature and unmissable vistas, per South America Travel. Yes, we're talking about the food. Peru has numerous traditional dishes you have to before you die. 

For example, there's the famous ceviche, Peru's national dish, usually consisting of fish marinated in a mixture of lime juice, onions, salt, and hot peppers. Another Peruvian classic is called lomo saltado, consisting of stir-fried beef strips that have been marinated in soy sauce and other ingredients. Lomo saltado is typically served with fries and white rice on the side. And if you're feeling really adventurous, give your taste buds a surprise with cuy, which is Peruvian for guinea pig. Alternatively, you can indulge in roasted alpaca meat, which is quite popular in the Andes (via Eat Peru). And if you're more into vegetables than meat, there's one other Peruvian classic that you should try out.

Potatoes are one of the most famous kitchen staples in the world. These starchy tubers are so popular that the average person in the U.S. eats 120 pounds of potatoes annually. But where do they actually come from? There's evidence that potatoes have been grown in the Peruvian Andes since 10,000 B.C. And today, Peru is famous for its wide variety of potatoes (via Farmes' Almanac). 

Machu Travel Peru reports that there are more than 4,000 potato varieties in Peru, and they're locally called "papas." Some of the most famous varieties include papa blanca (white and firm), papa amarillo (yellow, soft, and mushy), and papa rosada (pinkish with a white interior). And while there are several delicious dishes that can be prepared with these potatoes, The Culture Trip reveals that there's a classic Peruvian appetizer everyone should try at least once. It's called papa a la huancaína, consisting of boiled potatoes that are usually served in a creamy and slightly spicy cheese sauce. 

What's interesting is that this appetizer is always served cold, which might be a bit unusual to many of us who've grown accustomed to eating warm potatoes. The dish is also traditionally accompanied by black olives and hard-boiled eggs to help keep you full for a long time. So the next time you plan on visiting Peru, make sure you put trying papa a la huancaína on your to-do list.