Cau+Cau

= Cau Cau =

Cau Cau is a dish that is commonly eaten in Peru, originating from the Andean Cuisine. This dish is composed of a few main ingredients: potatoes, tripe, yellow pepper, onion, garlic, and parsley. What makes this dish so special is the tripe. Tripe is actually the lining of the first or second stomach of a cow.

As with anything, there is a history behind Cau Cau. This dish actually has African Roots. Many years ago, the spanish conquistadors brought over slaves to Peru from Africa. Since the slaves did not have much to cook with, they had to make due with what they had. Since meat and seafood were not very common, they got stuck with the scraps. This is why the slaves started to use the stomach of the cow. Tripe, before it is handled, has a very strong flavor. Therefore, they would first pre-cook it in milk before they added it to the stew. This technique is used to sort of neutralize the strong acids that would be found in the stomach. Pre-cooking the tripe in milk is almost comparable to putting lemon on seafood to neutralize the odor and taste.

Cau Cau never use to be a popularly requested dish. It use to only be found in market places and some old tavern. Eventually, Cau Cau, along with many other dishes that contain innards of animals, found their way onto the plates of the upper class. Nowadays, there are many modern modifications made to the original version of Cau Cau. Some recipes include chicken or a seafood medley instead of the tripe. This Peruvian dish can be commonly found in many restaurants all over the country.

By: McKayla Holmes