Ocopa Arequipeña, Arequipa is a beautiful city located in Peru, it has tourist attractions, beautiful people, landscapes, mountains, art, culture, ancient buildings, but one of its greatest treasures is its gastronomy. I had the pleasure of being able to travel to “La Ciudad Blanca” (Arequipa) and on my trip, I tried everything I could, restaurants, street vendors, local cuisine, local markets, etc. I came across a recipe book of authentic Arequipean cuisine, this was not a simple recipe book, it also contained the history of the city and tells a little about culture, and gastronomy in general.

This book helped me to understand Arequipeña gastronomy a little better and why Arequipeños feel so proud of it. Within the Arequipeña gastronomy, there is a dish that people from Lima (like me) love, the “Ocopa”, this sauce is made with chili peppers, onions, milk, cookies, peanuts, but what gives it such a particular flavor and color It is the Huacatay.

Huacatay(called black mint) is an endemic herb from Peru (originally from Peru), it belongs to the mint family, I could say that it has a touch of bitterness like mint, but it has simply a unique flavor and aroma.

What makes this dish special?

the aromas, the culture behind the plate and the fact that there is nothing like it in Peruvian cuisine, Huacatay is definitely the star of the dish and that gives it the unique flavor. It has a touch of spiciness like many Peruvian dishes but it is not spicy.

Does it taste the same as “Papa a la Huancaina”?

There are definitely similarities in the ingredients, milk, cheese, cookies, peppers, are recurring elements in some Peruvian recipes, but I must say that this sauce does not taste similar to the Papa la Huancaina.

Can you prepare abroad?

Yes, getting fresh Huacatay is possible, but the easiest way to get it is in “pasta”, there are many companies that sell Huacatay in pasta, the taste is very similar, you have to adapt the seasoning a bit. (if you want to buy Huacatay click here)

An entreé that is delicious, everyone liked them at home, particularly my father, who constantly asked my mother to prepare this dish, and that was very happy when he arrived from work and we ate together. His love for this dish was so much that he asked my mother to prepare enough Ocopa to eat for at least 3 days.

The magic of Peruvian cuisine is that many ingredients in their dishes are similar, but the flavors that some ingredients can add, make every dish unique.

the ingredients are slow-cooked, in that way they can caramelize, this version of the “Ocopa” has one or another extra ingredient. This is because it is adapted to be prepared anywhere in the world. Many people in Peru, love “traditions” but one learns to be more tolerant when traveling and accepts that one is no longer in his/her country, but still can eat well.

This sauce, its really good, I think you will love it

It is served with potatoes, cooked eggs, and olives, lettuce or other fresh leaves, the truth is that it goes very well with everything.

What do you think of our recipe? comment below