China Amarilla Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
China Amarilla potatoes vary in size and shape, depending on the growing environment, and are generally smaller, averaging 4 to 6 centimeters in length and diameter. The tubers are typically round, oval, or oblong, and often exhibit an irregular shape due to the presence of deep-set eyes. The skin is semi-smooth, firm, thin, and taut, lightly textured with some brown markings and surface scratches. The skin also showcases brown, tawny hues combined with red, sometimes pink, undertones. Underneath the surface, the golden yellow flesh is vibrant, dense, hard, and slippery when raw. Once cooked, China Amarilla potatoes develop a tender, slightly sandy, creamy, and thick consistency. China Amarilla potatoes are edible after cooking and have rich, earthy, subtly sweet, and faintly nutty undertones.
Seasons/Availability
China Amarilla potatoes are available year-round.
Current Facts
China Amarilla potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are a Peruvian variety belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The tubers are a type of Amarilla potato, a general descriptor for yellow-fleshed varieties grown throughout Peru. China Amarilla potatoes produce around twenty-five tubers per plant and are primarily grown at high altitudes in the Andes mountains. The variety is considered more of a specialty native potato and is sold in limited quantities throughout Peru. The name China Amarilla is derived from Spanish and Quechua words. The descriptor China stems from the Quechua word “Čína,” a term meaning “female or feminine.” Historically, it was common for potatoes to be given feminine descriptors among Quechua-speaking communities in the Andes. Amarilla translates from Spanish to mean “yellow,” highlighting the potato’s golden-hued flesh. China Amarilla potatoes are utilized in preparations calling for yellow potatoes and are a versatile variety favored for their rich flavor and smooth, creamy texture.
Nutritional Value
China Amarilla potatoes have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other Peruvian yellow potatoes, the variety may be a source of phosphorus to repair tissues, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and potassium to balance fluid levels within the body. Potatoes also provide vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, calcium to protect bones and teeth, magnesium to control nerve functions, and other nutrients, including zinc, folate, manganese, and fiber.
Applications
China Amarilla potatoes have a rich, buttery, subtly sweet, and nutty taste suited for cooked preparations. Yellow-fleshed Peruvian potatoes are known for their tender, creamy texture and versatility, and they are incorporated into soups, stews, and chowders. China Amarilla potatoes are also steamed or boiled and served as a stand-alone side dish or mashed with spices and flavorings. Mashed China Amarilla potatoes are used in stuffed potatoes or papas rellenos or pureed into sauces. In Peru, yellow potatoes, including China Amarilla, are used in popular recipes such as papa a la huancaina, chilled potato slices covered in a thick and creamy yellow sauce, and aji de gallina, a chicken stew known as a comfort food. In the Andes, China, Amarilla is commonly eaten in pachamanca, a method of cooking meat and vegetables in an underground oven with hot stones. It is said that China Amarilla potatoes come out of the underground ovens “smiling” as their skin breaks open in the cooking process, opening like a flower. China Amarilla potatoes can also be boiled, smashed, and roasted, sliced and fried into chips, or roasted in chunks and tossed with fresh herbs. Beyond fresh preparations, China Amarilla potatoes can be sliced into smaller pieces and dried in the sun for extended use. Dried potatoes have an extended shelf life. China Amarilla potatoes pair well with corn, peas, legumes, carrots, chile peppers, garlic, meats such as beef, poultry, and pork, and herbs including huacatay, cilantro, and oregano. Whole, unwashed China Amarilla potatoes will keep for several months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
China Amarilla potatoes are one type of yellow potato used in traditional Causa recipes. Causa, also known as Causa Rellena and Causa Limeña, is a Peruvian dish comprised of layers of mashed potatoes with peppers, sauces, meats, and vegetables. There are many different variations of Causa made throughout Peru in the present day, and several origin theories connect the dish to historical events. The first theory traces the art of layering mashed potatoes with other ingredients to indigenous populations in the Andes. It is thought that the name Causa may be derived from “kawsay,” a Quechua word meaning “life with harmony.” When the Spanish arrived, they introduced new ingredients, such as olives and limes, creating new versions of the recipe. The other and most accepted theory traces Causa to the Liberation Expedition of Peru in the 19th century, a movement to secure Peru’s independence from Spain. Women in the movement would collect food from supporters to feed the troops, and Causa arose from mainly having potatoes, chile peppers, peas, beans, and corn as ingredients. Mashed potatoes were layered with vegetables and available meats in an easy-to-eat, sandwich-like form. Supporters would hand the layered dish to soldiers and say, “This is for the cause,” eventually inspiring the dish's name in Spanish, literally translating to “cause.” Modern-day recipes include seafood, avocado, or chicken in layers of Amarilla potatoes and various vegetables flavored with mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, oil, vinegar, and aji amarillo chile peppers.
Geography/History
China Amarilla potatoes are native to South America and are thought to be descendants of wild varieties that grew naturally throughout the highlands of the Andes mountains. Much of the history of the variety is unknown, as little written records were left before the arrival of the Spanish, but it is believed that China Amarilla potatoes are one of the traditional cultivars called native potatoes in Peruvian agriculture. Potatoes are thought to have been first domesticated over 10,000 years ago in the Andes mountains, and the oldest archeological findings were sourced from areas around Lake Titicaca. Over time, potatoes were selectively bred for improved flavor, texture, and cultivation characteristics, eventually becoming one of the most essential crops within the Andes. China Amarilla potatoes are popularly grown in mixed fields, also called chaqru. Mixed fields allow the variety to produce higher yields than if grown as an individual tuber. Today, China Amarilla potatoes are a specialty variety grown in high elevations from 3,500 to 4,000 meters above sea level. The variety is primarily planted in the Huancavelica, Junín, and Huanco regions of Peru and is sold locally in their growing regions and shipped to other markets throughout Peru. The China Amarilla potatoes featured in the photograph above were sourced through markets in Lima, Peru.
