''Anticuchos'' (singular ''anticucho'', Quechua 'Anti Kuchu', '' Anti'': 'Eastern region of the Andes' or 'Eastern native ethnicities', ''Kuchu'': 'Cut'; Quechua for 'Anti-style cuts', 'Eastern-style cuts') are popular and inexpensive

meat Meat is animal Tissue (biology), tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, ...

dishes that originated in the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

during the

pre-Columbian era In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...

, specifically in the Antisuyu region of the Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire). The modern dish was adapted during the colonial era between the 16th and 19th centuries and can now be found in

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

, and

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

, where they are known as "chuzos" or "carne en palito". Anticuchos can be found on street-carts and street food stalls (''anticucheras''). The meat may be marinated in vinegar and

spices In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

(such as cumin, ají pepper and garlic). While anticuchos can be made of any type of meat, the most popular are made of beef

heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...

(''anticuchos de corazón''). Anticuchos usually come with a boiled potato at the end of the skewer. A similar dish, shish kebab, is found in Mediterranean cuisine. In Peru, anticuchos are linked to the procession of Señor de los Milagros.

History

Anticuchos are of Pre-Columbian origin. In the 16th century European ingredients such as garlic were added and beef began to replace the traditional llama that was used at the time of the Inca Empire. It was a popular dish among the inhabitants of the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

, and it is currently popular throughout most

South American South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

countries. Americanized versions of anticuchos are sometimes made of non-organ meats. According to the text file from the National Library in Lima (Peru), it is believed that the term comes from the Quechua ''antikuchu'' (''anti'': 'East' + ''kuchu'': 'cut' or ''uchu'': 'porridge, mix'). The writer Erika Fetzer mentions that according to tradition, anticuchos were prepared with meat and flame. The Spanish strung the meat on sticks as skewers. The Spaniards also brought enslaved Africans, who were concentrated in Lima and the coast of southern Chico de la Ciudad de los Reyes of the Vice-royalty of Peru. In those days, the Spanish dismissed offal as food for slaves; the Spanish generally cooked with the "prime" cuts only. As a result, many traditional recipes use beef heart and other "off" cuts. In Peru, the tradition continues with the traditional name and ingredients; anticuchos are consumed by all social classes of Peru, and are especially popular as a street food.

Anticuchos in the Andes

Cooking

Traditional anticuchos are made with beef heart slivers ranging from 2 cm x 2 cm to about 5 cm × 5 cm, roasted on a metal skewer about 30 to long and 3 × 3 mm in diameter. They are seasoned with salt to taste, and sometimes with vinegar. A popular dressing is a sauce made from garlic, onion, aji panca, cumin, black pepper, and beer, which is spread onto the anticuchos while cooking. Anticuchos are usually not the main course of a meal, but rather an accompaniment to grilled meats along with other side dishes such as choripanes, potatoes, sausages and salads. Variants include smaller sticks of wood; those 15 cm or less are called "meat skewers."

Peru

Anticuchos are part of traditional Peruvian cuisine. The greatest consumption in Peru is in July, during the celebration of ''Fiestas Patrias'' (Independence Day) in fondas and BBQs.

Bolivia

The Bolivian anticucho is a dish based on thin beef heart fillets marinated in spices, oil, and vinegar, cooked on skewers and over charcoal, and then served hot, mainly accompanied by roast potatoes and spicy sauce or peanut llajua. The anticucho is widely known as one of the favorite night delicacies dishes in innumerable parts of Bolivia. The vendors (affectionately known as "anticucheras") are easy to find on streets or boulevards and have a peculiar ritual to attract their clients, which consists of creating spectacular flames of fire that give off the irresistible aroma of the dish.

Ecuador

Known as "chuzos" in the Sierra Region and "carne en palito" in the Costa Region, they are a favorite night street food.

References

External links

Peru Taste

Anticuchos
{{Street food Meat dishes Grilled skewers Street food Peruvian cuisine Bolivian cuisine