Chuño Potatoes
Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Chuño varies in size and shape, depending on the potato variety used in the drying process, and generally has a round, oblong, or oval, slightly flattened shape with blunt, curved edges. The tubers can be around the size of pebbles or similar to a standard commercial potato, averaging 2 to 6 centimeters in diameter and 4 to 7 centimeters in length. The tubers are lightweight and have a textured, powdery, and firm white surface. Some varieties may showcase brown shallow eyes, while others may have a faint grey tint. Underneath the surface, the white flesh is dry, dense, and hard, being difficult to cut or break open. Consumers often comment that the tubers feel like lightweight rocks. Despite their unbreakable appearance, the flesh is porous and easily rehydrates when soaked in water. Once rehydrated, the flesh becomes spongy, thick, slippery, semi-firm, and chewy. Chuño emits an acquired scent when dry with fermented, musky, and earthy undertones. The tubers are edible once rehydrated and have a mild, bland, earthy, and subtly bitter taste. Chuño is primarily consumed for its filling nature and texture, as it tends to absorb accompanying flavors.
Seasons/Availability
Chuño is made from freshly harvested potatoes processed in June and July. Once dehydrated, the preserved tubers can be stored year-round for several years.
Current Facts
Chuño, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, is a descriptor given to potatoes that have undergone a freeze-drying process in the Andes mountains. It is important to note that the process of making Chuño varies by the community and region throughout the Andes, and several different varieties of potatoes can be used. Historically, bitter potato varieties are chosen for making Chuño, as the freeze-drying and dehydration process helps to remove glycoalkaloids from the flesh. Other native, more floury potatoes are also used, and some communities choose to mix the two types together for improved culinary purposes. There are two types of Chuño, generally known as Black Chuño, or Chuño Negro, and White Chuño, or Chuño Blanco. White Chuño is also known as Tunta and Moraya and is made slightly differently than Black Chuño. In the Andes mountains, where temperatures drastically fluctuate between day and night, Aymara and Quechua communities gather fresh potatoes and scatter the tubers out in a large area to begin drying. At night, freezing temperatures help to break down cell walls within the potatoes. During the day, the sun warms the tubers, slowly causing moisture to be released from the flesh. Farmers also speed up this process by stepping on the potatoes to remove their skins and push out moisture. This process is repeated for several weeks, and the tubers are covered with a blanket to protect against direct sunlight and prevent oxidation. Once almost dry, the potatoes are washed in cold streams or rivers or are stored in holes beside water sources to allow the tubers to develop their powdery, signature white hue. Processing Chuño is a communal event, and this ancient practice has survived into the modern day, where it is viewed as a treasured cultural food and symbol. White Chuño is considered to be rarer than Black Chuño in local markets and is used for culinary purposes.
Nutritional Value
Chuño is not a significant source of nutrients as the drying process lessens overall vitamin and mineral content. The dried tubes contain small amounts of calcium to protect bones and teeth, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. Chuño may also provide some vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, magnesium to control nerve functions, phosphorus to repair cell tissues, and other nutrients, including zinc, niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin.
Applications
Chuño has a neutral, subtly bitter, earthy, bland, and starchy taste suited for cooked preparations. The dehydrated tubers must be rehydrated before use and are typically soaked in water overnight. During this process, the tubers are squeezed, and the water is changed several times to help reduce bitterness. Once rehydrated, Chuño is typically torn into smaller pieces and is added as an ingredient to provide texture. Chuño absorbs accompanying sauces and flavors, but its taste, by itself, is very mild and bland. The thick, chewy texture of the tubers adds complexity to meals. Chuño is traditionally added to stir-fries, casseroles, soups, and stews. In Bolivia, Chuño is a central ingredient in chairo, a soup of potatoes, meat, and vegetables. It is also used in Chuño cola, an Andean stew with a rich blend of spices, beef or lamb, and vegetables, or chupe, a Peruvian chowder. In Lima, Peru, Chuño is used in modern dishes under the name Novo-Andina, a cooking style using traditional ingredients with modern techniques. Chuño is also stuffed and cooked, served as a side dish to chicken sajta, or combined into picante de pollo, a Bolivian creole dish. Beyond rehydration in pieces, Chuño is ground into a powder and added as a thickener to soups, stews, purees, baked goods, and desserts. The powder is popularly used in cookies, cakes, and bread or made into porridge, rice pudding, and baby food. Chuño pairs well with chile peppers such as aji panca, amarillo, or Colorado, herbs including huacatay, mint, parsley, and oregano, tomatoes, corn, carrots, squash, peas, and meats such as beef, pork, poultry, and lamb. The dried potatoes will keep for several years when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, with some types having been notably stored for 10 to 20 years in the Andes Mountains.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The name Chuño is derived from “Ch’uñu,” a Quechua word meaning “freeze-dried potato.” Chuño was hypothesized to be one of the most important food sources throughout the Inca Empire up until the early 16th century. While most of these claims are theories developed by experts who have studied archeological remains, Spanish records, and customs passed down orally between descendants of the region, Chuño was thought to be one of the essential preservation methods used by the Incas. Chuño was carried whole or ground into flour, a typical food for traveling soldiers and messengers. The preserved potatoes provided nutrients during times of famine and food scarcity, and this was especially important in the Andes Mountains as little crops are able to grow and survive throughout the year at high elevations. Chuño was traditionally stored as food reserves and sustained the Incan population when crops failed. The dried tubers were also often stored with dried meat known as charqui or ch’arki to diversify the available preservable foods. Among Andean communities, Chuño has been called the “eternal food” and is revered for its extended storage properties, capable of lasting for over 20 years. It has also become a symbol of national heritage. In Bolivia, the phrase “to be more Bolivian than Chuño” is a common way to describe someone dedicated to their country.
Geography/History
Chuño is native to the Andean highlands and is a dehydration process to preserve the shelf life of potatoes. The exact origin of Chuño is unknown, but the practice was thought to have been created by Pre-Incan communities in the Altiplano region. Altiplano is Spanish for “high plains” and is situated at high elevations above 3,500 meters within the Andes Mountain range, spanning across what is now modern-day Peru and western Bolivia. This region is known for its low humidity and extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night, allowing dehydration processes to occur, such as drying potatoes. The first hypothesized site where potatoes were found was near Lake Titicaca, where food remains were discovered by archaeologists dating back to 600 BCE. Over time, Quechua and Aymara communities annually took potato harvests and preserved the tubers as a type of food security. This process was passed between generations, and Chuño became a traditional practice to combat famine and other disasters. Chuño was adopted into the Inca Empire in the 13th century and was extensively produced. Chuño Negro was primarily made for home use or commercial distribution, while White Chuño was reserved for upper classes and royalty. Chuño was also transported long distances along trade routes and was sold throughout South America as a food source, spreading throughout mountainous and coastal regions. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, several Spanish naturalists recorded the making and use of Chuño. The Spanish later used Chuño as a source of income and a method to feed enslaved peoples who worked in silver mines. Chuño has acquired many reputations throughout history, from being a beloved traditional culinary ingredient to a symbol of famine and low-income cuisine. Despite its varying reputation throughout South American communities, it is generally regarded as a source of historical pride and is being promoted as a traditional food. Today, Chuño is still made using customary techniques in the Andes Mountains and is sold locally or transported long distances for sale in specialty markets. Chuño is found in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile. The Chuño featured in the photograph above was sourced through markets in the districts of Surquillo and Miraflores in Lima, Peru.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Chuño Potatoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.| The New York Times |
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Peruvian Cheesy Potato Soup with Spicy Herb Sauce |
