I learned these recipies from the mom of the family I stayed with in Copacabana village on the Island. THe family members were: Gorge Ramos (father), Dominga Quispa (mother), Eulogia (oldest daughter), Magdalena (middle daughter), Freddy (son), Lourdes (youngest daughter) and a puppy named "negro."


Aymara Kitchen – Recipies

Halpa Waika

A delicious dip that is eaten with bread, boiled potatoes, or even a fried egg.

Ingredients:
3 dried Aji Arequipina (these are long yellow dried peppers from Peru – can be purchased from The Spice
House in Evanston, IL by phone 847.328.3711, or through their website at www.thespicehouse.com)
Two tablespoons of water
One half teaspoon of salt
One half teaspoon of dried cumin (seeds or powder)
Quarter cup of chopped white onion

Preparation:
Toast dried peppers over gas stove flame (on the Isla del Sol a wood fire is used of course!) until the skin
puckers (careful not to let it burn)
Cut peppers lengthwise and throw out the seeds
Combine peppers, water, salt and cumin and grind to a fine paste
Lastly, grind chopped onion into the paste and serve!

When I had this dish in the kitchen-house of Gorge Ramos his wife Dominga Quispe masterfully grinded the mixture using a large flat stone (perhaps a piece of slate?) and a hand-sized round stone. It was served to me on top of a heaping plate of steaming boiled potatoes and a very cooked fried egg as my last meal on the island.


Caldo de Fideo

A lip-smacking and blissfully warming soup eaten in the evening for dinner as the cold air rolls over the island.

Ingredients:
Large fresh or dried green beans (Called Habas – could substitude Butter Beans)
1 cup chopped white onion
1 and ½ cup chopped carrot
¼ cup chopped salt pork
20 halved New Potatoes
1 cup twistie noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 dried Aji Arequipina or whole dried hot pepper substitute
1 tablespoon salt

Preparation
Boil potatoes & beans until lightly cooked, separate from cooking water and set aside.
Combine , beans, onion, carrot, salt pork, and salt in large soup pot and simmer.
In separate frying pan lightly sautee noodle in olive oil until slightly browned in some parts and add to soup pot to simmer. This action enforces a kind of strong al-dente result when the noodles are later boiled. Grind Aji with a bit of tomatoe for moisture into a fine paste and add to soup pot.
Simmer in soup pot until pasta is almost cooked, add potatoes and continue to simmer until pasta and potatoes are both cooked.

This soup was a wonderful treat in the evening when temperatures plunged and the skies sparkeled in the thin mountain air. I cannot fail to mention that the taste of this soup is aided by being cooked on an open wood flame – the rich smoke combines with the salt pork to produce much of its savoury flavor (try it next time you are camping or just feeling adventurous in your backyard)..