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Traditional High Andean cuisine

Traditional High Andean cuisine is a collection of typical dishes to encourage a greater appreciation of traditional Andean products and introduce them to a wider audience. This cookbook was developed as part of a FAO project for Strengthening Indigenous Organizations and Supporting the Revival of Traditional Products in the High Andean Regions of Peru and Ecuador.

Indigenous people in the Andean region mostly depend on traditional farming both for their livelihoods and as a direct source of food.
Strengthening traditional systems and reviving traditional products and ancestral knowledge associated with national/regional cooking makes it possible to expand the food base, improve food security and to generate additional sources of income for rural households.
This cookbook was prepared thanks to the active participation of beneficiary communities over the course of cooking contests, food festivals, participatory workshops and other events in which it was possible to compile information about dietary habits and the use of traditional products.
The book begins with a description of some of the main traditional ingredients of the region, followed by a total of 147 recipes that are organized by the type of dish, specifying the person, community and/or institution that provided it.
It is aimed, in part, at professionals committed to productive diversification and the use of local resources. This collection of recipes is also designed to help gourmets and chefs discover the rich source of culinary inspiration of traditional High Andean cooking and ingredients, which appear here in ways that are both diverse and unique.