AJI DE GALLINA
Peruvian gastronomy has transformed the flavors of European dishes with Peruvian ingredients, and this is how ají de gallina was born—a staple at lunchtime. When the Spanish introduced it, it was originally a sweet dish. Peruvians modified some of the seasonings, naming it ají de gallina. Its main ingredient is ají, a chili pepper used by ancient Peruvians for centuries. For them, ají held medicinal and religious properties. There are five varieties of ají in different colors—red, yellow, orange, and green. They used it ground, chopped, or dried, and for ají de gallina, the yellow ají is typically used, though sometimes three varieties are included. Bell peppers can also be used in ají de gallina.
This dish originally resembled a dessert: in the 14th century, Menjar Blanc or Manjar Blanco was a common dish in Catalonia, Spain. It was a sweet dish of boiled chicken pieces seasoned with sugar, walnuts, and almonds, thickened with rice and flour. This dish is still consumed in Spain.
During the colonial period, in the 16th century, this dish arrived in Peru, where ají de gallina was created. Chicken breast, walnuts, and rice were used, yellow ají and pecans were added, and the sugar and almonds were left out. Today, chicken is often used instead of hen.
This yellow-colored dish, due to the ají, has evolved over the years. Nowadays, it is also seasoned with milk and onion and served with eggs and potatoes. Since 1839, it has been a favorite dish of Peruvians, as recounted by Rodolfo Tafur Zevallos, a culinary researcher and teacher. He notes: 'The police gendarmes of Lima, when inspecting various inns and restaurants around the city, reported a dish enjoyed by patrons. It consisted of shredded hen meat in a sauté of onion, garlic, ají, and small pieces of bread, served with potatoes,' he explains in his article "History of Ají de Gallina".
Over the years, new ingredients have been added to improve it. Peruvian families now prefer chicken for its tenderness and quicker cooking.
Ají de Gallina Recipe (Chef Gastón Acurio)
Ingredients
1 chicken breast
1 bay leaf
1 French bread roll
2 cups of milk
1/4 cup oil
1 chopped onion
4 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 cup yellow ají paste
2 cups vegetable mix (carrot, celery, leek)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 boiled yellow potatoes
4 black olives
2 boiled eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
In a pot, boil the 2 cups of vegetable mix with the chicken breast, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. When the chicken is cooked, set it aside, let it cool, and shred it.
Break the bread into pieces, soak it in the milk, and blend it.
In a saucepan, heat the oil, and sauté the onion, garlic, yellow ají, cumin, and turmeric. Add a few spoonfuls of the broth in which you cooked the chicken, stirring until well combined.
Add the milk mixture, stirring and cooking on low heat. Then, add the shredded chicken, pecans, and Parmesan cheese, and mix well.
After a few minutes, when the mixture becomes creamy, turn off the heat and serve with boiled potato slices.
Sources:
Cocina Peruana: Historia, Cultura y Sabores by Sara Beatriz Guardia, USMP
El Comercio, Lima, Peru. January 2014. Author: Manoel Obando
Peru Travel Website