 Ajiaco is one of the most representative dishes ofBogotá, Colombia. | |
| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Pre-Columbian era |
| Region or state | Latin America |
| Main ingredients | Potatoes, chicken |
Ajiaco (Spanish pronunciation:[aˈxjako]) is asoup common toColombia,Cuba,[1] andPeru.[2] Scholars have debated the origin of the dish. The dish is especially popular in the Colombian capital,Bogotá, being called ajiaco santafereño, where it is typically made with chicken, three varieties ofpotatoes, and the herbGalinsoga parviflora, known locally asguasca orguascas. In Cuba, ajiaco is prepared as a stew, while in Peru the dish is prepared with a number of regionally specific variations.
The exact origin of this dish has been debated by scholars.[1] In his bookLexicografia Antillana, former president of CubaAlfredo Zayas y Alfonso stated that the word "ajiaco" derived from "aji", the nativeTaíno word for "hot pepper." Cuban ethnologistFernando Ortiz stated that ajiaco was a meal typical of the Taíno, and was an appropriate metaphor for Cuba being amelting pot.[3] In the Cuban city of Camagüey, the San Juan festival begins with the making and serving of ajiaco.[4]La Calle magazine of Cuba stated that the inhabitants of the village of Santa María de Puerto del Príncipe began the tradition of making ajiaco using their own cooking ingredients, donations from passersby, surplus from farmers, and surplus slave provisions.[4] Ajiaco is believed to have become popular in Cuba during the 16th century, particularly among rural Cubans, although it was occasionally enjoyed by theupper class.[5]
In the Colombian[6] capital ofBogotá, ajiaco is a popular dish typically made with chicken, three varieties ofpotatoes, and theGalinsoga parviflora herb, commonly referred to in Colombia asguasca orguascas, and in the U.S., where it is considered a weed, as gallant soldier.[7][8] It can be garnished withcapers,avocado slices, pieces ofcorn on the cob, orcream.
In Cuba, ajiaco is a hearty stew made from beef, pork, chicken, vegetables, and a variety of starchy roots andtubers classified asviandas.[1][9]
In Peru, ajiaco is a quite different dish of potatoes cooked with garlic, a mix of dried yellow and red chilies (aji mirasol andaji panca),hierba buena, andhuacatay, generally accompanied by rice and stewed chicken or rabbit.
InChile, ajiaco is a food of northern origin, it contains beef, onion, carrot and paprika, garlic and colored chili, potatoes and seasonings, powdered rib broth andcoriander/parsley.
Media related toAjiaco at Wikimedia Commons