Guinea Pig Cuy Peru Food

Cuy al horno is baked or spit roasted whilst cuy chactado is fried in spices.

Guinea pig cuy peru food. Traditional baked guinea pig though not all visitors to peru are keen to eat it this way jaime pesaque is the owner of mayta a high end restaurant in upmarket lima. I had cuy confit in a fancy restaurant and i had it on the road in pisac roasted in a traditional clay oven. Yes peruvians eat guinea pigs for many visitors to peru there is something fascinating about the fact some peruvians eat cuy. The guinea pig was first domesticated as early as 5000 bc for food by tribes in the andean region of south america the present day southern part of colombia ecuador peru and bolivia some thousands of years after the domestication of the south american camelids.

It s fried or roasted guinea pig and it s a peruvian delicacy. A traditional food guinea pig called cuy in peru has been served whole on special occasions since inca times. There are different methods of cooking guinea pig cuy meat the main ones are cuy al horno sometimes also called cuy al palo or picante de cuy and cuy chactado. What they are is a delicious delicacy best served with potatoes and salsa.

Guinea pig meat is considered special because it s higher in protein and lower in cholesterol than chicken pork or beef. Cuy is definitely one of the weirder foods to try on your travels. In english these are known as guinea pigs those cuddly little animals favored by children as pets in much of north america and europe. He buys about 200 organically.

A flattened fried cuy is called cuy chactado and most visitors who sample cuy seem to prefer the fried version. Guinea pigs are cute and cuddly and eating one is like eating your pet dog. Statues dating from circa 500 bc to 500 ad that depict guinea pigs have been unearthed in archaeological digs in peru and ecuador. Cuy has a similar taste to a rabbit or wildfowl.

Señor cuy in san isidro. Cuy one of peru s most famous dishes is not for the faint of heart. Peru s food renaissance and the emphasis on traditional ingredients means that some of peru s best chefs are using cuy in their cuisine. I know a girl here in cusco who volunteers with a program that raises guinea pigs specifically to feed to cancer patients as the meat is healthier for them.