What would Inca's have ate?

Question

I'm running a childrens week and the topic for my group is Incas. I want them to do some cooking, but what did they eat? Any recipes? Thanks!

Answer 1

There were several main staples of the Inca diet, maize or corn (sara), dehydrated potatoes (chuno) and a seed called quinua which they used to make cereal, flour and soup. Maize was roasted, boiled or ground into flour. There was also achita and canaha were also made into a flour and used the same quinua. They also ate beans, particularly red beans. Yuca was also popular and still is today as even my Peruvian wife eats yuca. Another food that I know goes back to ancient times that the Incas ate was guinea pig. There are many Andeans today that still eat quinea pig, including my wife. They also ate llamas and alpacas, as well as seafood.

Here is a recipe of a dish my wife makes that is similar to what the Incas may have eaten. It is in Spanish, so you will have to translate.

Ingredientes:

(Para 4 personas)

Por Don Cucho
Chef del Restaurante Pantagruel

Ingredientes:

- 4 papas blancas pequeñas tipo tomasa
- 4 papas amarillas pequeñas
- 4 papas huayro pequeñas
- 3 yemas de huevo cocidas
- 4 ajies cortados para escabeche
- 1/4 kilo queso fresco, requesón o queso crema
- 1/4 taza de leche evaporada
- 1/4 taza de aceite vegetal light o de oliva
- 3 galletas de soda
- sal y pimienta
- jugo de 1 limón

Preparación:

Lave las papas y cocine cada tipo individualmente un una cantidad de agua que apenas las cubra y sal. Dejar enfriar y luego pelar.

Disponga las papas en una fuente, alternando por tipos. Vierta la crema huancaína y decore a gusto con huevos de codorniz, ají amarillo zoazado, hojas de lechuga crespa, aceitunas sin pepa y hojitas de perejil.

La salsa huancaína se prepara sancochando en poca agua y un toque de azúcar, los ajíes despepitados y sin venas hasta que queden tiernos y se puedan pelar. Coloque en el vaso de la licuadora ají, yemas, queso (con queso crema nacional o importado el resultado es delicioso), leche, aceite, sal, pimienta y galletas y licue hasta lograr una consistencia cremosa. Termine sazonando con el jugo de limón.

There is also a recipe on the first website below, but I am not sure you can find the ingredients.

Answer 2

Well the Incas(Inkas) orriginated in the highlands of Peru, South America, about 1400. Food actually played a very important role for the Incas, it was the way they could control so many people so many people without having horses, wheels and written language. They did this by actually freeze-drying the food. they were the first poeple to utilise this technique to such an extent. The foods they mainly freeze-dried were potatoes, the staple diet of the Incas (this should make your class easy, french fries, crisps, etc) they did this by leaving the food out at night to get wet and freeze, the pulp could then be kept for upto a year. they also did this with beef, the product of freeze-drying beef was called charqui (beef jerky today, your class is getting easier and easier).

Another food product that came from the Incas was Popcorn. But rather that being used for entertainment popcorn was ´popped´ because this way it lasts a lot longer. Also Llama meat was eaten a lot (maybe not so good for your calss). they had 2 meals a day, one around 9 am and one again at about 4/5 pm and all their meals were with an alcoholic drink, chicha (definatly not for your class). Water was hardly ever drunk unless chicha wasnt available. Celebrations were always fun with regards to food. Every family would bring their own stews whihc could consist of anything from vegetables (inc squashes, potatoes, nuts etc) to any meats they could catch and kill (dogs, turkeys, Musovy duck, rabbit, iguana etc). but the most common food type there was maise (corn) to form tortillas as are still very popular today.

Answer 3

The King of Mexico [forget his name] at the time of the Spanish Conquistadors, is said to have been able to choose from a selection of 3,000 dishes just at breakfast time.

Heaven alone knows how many other choices for lunch and dinner etc.

Most of this dietary information has been lost. What is left of Mexican cooking of the period was saved by diligent Catholic priests of the period.

Inca Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Inca Empire (or Inka Empire) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was ...
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire

IncaThis exhibit focuses on the archaeology in Mesoamerica and South America, with additional pages on specific sites, cultures, and technology used by the ...
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/south/cultures/inca.html

Inca Civilization - CrystalinksAs ancient civilizations sprang up across the planet thousands of years ago, so too the Inca civilization evolved. As with all ancient civilizations, ...
http://www.crystalinks.com/incan.html

Answer 4

Lots of potatoes. They're known for their cultivation of many different types.

Also, you could always make sugar cookies and use a butter knife or icing to make Inca symbols in them.

Answer 5

If this is for a children's event, I don't really suppose you can serve guinea pig, no matter how authentic it might be... However, potatoes are always good. And as someone else already suggested, you might look up some modern recipes from the region.

Answer 6

Aztec Bars

Answer 7

They would have eaten anyone who put an apostrophe in their name and used the phrase "have ate". Bad English made them furious...

Answer 8

I would suggest you look up some Peruvian recipes that would be pretty near, oh and maybe not too spicy as I am sure some of the kids will say.................." don't like that !!!!!!!!! "

Answer 9

They ate children amongst other things. Don't have a receipe!

Answer 10

tomalies. I don't know any receipies, but I'm sure you can get them on the internet. Lots of corn and beans I'm sure, but I believe they had a very rich diet. But I'm sure tomalies were on the menu.