To think of it, this would be one of my first traditional Peruvian recipes I’ve posted
Locro, oh what a remarkable thing, feeding our many cravings, satisfying and simple to achieve. Naturally vegetarian (vegan if you cut out the cheese) a one pot dish that is low in calories and just so, astounding. Not to mention cheap, in Lima it’s a decent meal for 3 costing around s/. 10 or about $4
The word “locro” steams from the quechua or Incan word “rocro” which is any stew that has potato, aji, and something else. In this case we have the pumpkin, her entourage, and her lover, the loche.
What’s a loche? The loche (curcurbita moschata) is a cousin to pumpkins squash and zucchinis. Originally hailing from the mountains of the coastal region of Lambayeque it has become an emblematic part of the region’s cuisine and culture. Depictions of the gourd have been found in Mochica pottery that is known to be 6,000 years old. It takes dominance in most of their flagship foods such as Arroz con pollo & Goat leg seco, among other things.
The original recipe for locro doesn’t include loche, nor does it necessarily need to be elaborated in a clay pot, I’m just a little eccentric plus both elements confer flavors that are indescribably charming. Some locros are made from other vegetables entirely. Tubers such as oca or mashua will be sliced and cooked until barely malformed. I prefer the pumpkin because it’s lower in calories, cheaper, and you don’t even need water ;)!
- 5 Yellow Ajis, devained and blended or 3 Tbpsn Yellow Aji Paste
- 2 Tbpsn Mirasol Aji Paste
- 7 cloves chopped Garlic
- 3 Tbpsn Vegetable Oil
- 3 lbs Pumpkin
- 100 gr Loche w/ skin (optional)
- 3/4 cup Peas
- 1 cup degrained Corn (Andean if possible)
- 1 1/2 cup Lima Beans (cooked)
- 3/4 cup diced Carrots (.5cm x .5cm)
- 1 large Potato diced (1cm x 1cm)
- 300 gr Queso Fresco (cut into even 1cm x 1cm pieces)
- 2 Tbpsn of minced fresh or dried Huacatay
- 1 Bay leaf
- In a clay pot, saute the yellow aji, mirasol aji, and garlic on a low heat for about 10 min or until the oil separate and forms pools
- Cut the pumpkin into 1cm thick pieces along with the loche, save the peels of the loche
- Mix all the vegetables and the potatoes together, leaving the lima beans aside. They will be cooked ahead of time.
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.- Mix the vegetables with the aji base well, coating all the vegetables.
- Add the bay leaf and huacatay steams (if available), and the loche skins all tied together
- Cover with aluminum foil and with a heavier top to make sure little vapor escapes
- After 15 minutes give it a stir, cover it for 10 more minutes or until the pumpkin turns to porridge & the vegetables are perfectly cooked.
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- Take the pot off the heat, remove the bay leaf and steams
- Mix the queso fresco and minced huacatay and serve with white rice
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- Decoration: Wash the loche skins with running water and have them act as some barrier, mount the locro high in the middle then finish with a slightly roasted yellow aji stem and huacatay flowers. (only if you want to get unneccesarily fancy ;D)
- Good to know!: Huacatay is an andean herb used in many Peruvian dishes. May be hard to find but the flavor is extraordinary.
