Chuño Potatoes
Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
White Chuño is small in size and is very lightweight, ranging in shapes from round, oblong, to slightly lopsided and flattened. The light grey to white skin is smooth with a soft, velvety, chalk-like texture and contains a faint, sour odor. Underneath the skin, the dry flesh is also white with a porous, firm, and dense nature. When rehydrated and cooked, White Chuño is spongy, thick, and chewy, readily absorbing accompanying flavors, and has an earthy, mild, and bland flavor.
Seasons/Availability
White Chuño is available year-round in South America.
Current Facts
White Chuño, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are freeze-dried potatoes that are naturally preserved using the harsh climate of the Andes. Also known as Tunta, Chuño Blanco, and Moraya, there are two varieties of Chuño, Black Chuño and White Chuño, and the process of making Chuño has remained the same for over eight centuries, created by the Aymara and Quechua villages living in the high elevation regions of the Andes in Bolivia and Peru. To create White Chuño, potatoes are frozen for multiple nights, washed in cold rivers and stomped on in nets to remove skins, and then dried in the hot sun to create a white, preserved tuber. The word Chuño is derived from the Quechua word ch’unu, which roughly translates to frozen or wrinkled potato. White Chuño is largely localized to South America and is an acquired taste, but it has remained a staple item in Peruvian and Bolivian diets for centuries, favored for its filling nature and long storage life.
Nutritional Value
White Chuño contains calcium, iron, and a low amount of potassium, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Applications
White Chuño is best suited for cooked applications and is most commonly rehydrated or ground into a flour. When rehydrated, White Chuño can be sliced and covered in sauces, often consumed with Andean chili or aji, served with roasted meats such as smoked trout, or stuffed with cheese and jerky in a dish known as tunta rellena. White Chuño can also be ground into a flour and used to thicken soups such as chairo, which consists of Chuño, vegetables, and meat, and stews such as Chuño cola, which is made up of chickpeas, sausage, beef broth, rice, and chuno. The flour can also be used in desserts for added thickness and texture. White Chuño pairs well with peanuts, ricotta cheese, queso fresco, eggs, lettuce, aji amarillo, garlic, onion, green onion, huacatay, parsley, oregano, mint, fava beans, green peas, carrots, quinoa, white corn, and meats such as lamb, beef, pork, and fish. The preserved tubers will keep for decades when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Chuño has been an important staple in Peruvian diets as the unforgiving climate in the Andes often causes crop failure and droughts. By discovering a way to preserve potatoes for long periods of time, the villages of Peru have adapted and thrived under these harsh conditions and have ensured they have a lasting supply of food. The use of Chuño was noted during the Inca empire where Incan armies would consume the tubers as a source of food on long travels, but Chuño has also seen a recent increase in popularity in the global culinary scene. In Lima, Peru, many chefs are making Chuño the star of Novoandina cooking, which is a style of cooking using modern techniques with local, ancient ingredients. International chefs from all over the world are also traveling to Peru to experience the unusual Chuño freeze-drying process and are learning how to incorporate the dried tuber into other styles of cooking, establishing Lima as one of the gastronomic centers of South America.
Geography/History
White Chuño is native to Peru and Bolivia and has been developed by villages since the 13th century. Still created using the same process as it was done in ancient times, White Chuño is largely localized to the high elevation villages of the Andes. Today the preserved tuber can be found at local markets in Peru and Bolivia and is also sometimes found in Chile and Argentina. It can also be found through select online retailers.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Chuño Potatoes. One is easiest, three is harder.
The New York Times | Peruvian Cheesy Potato Soup with Spicy Herb Sauce |