Pachamanca
Pachamanca is one of the oldest and most sacred cooking methods in Peru, dating back thousands of years to pre-Incan civilizations. The name comes from the Quechua words 'pacha' (earth) and 'manka' (pot), meaning earth pot. Traditionally, a pit is dug in the ground, filled with volcanic stones heated in a fire, and then layered with marinated meats, potatoes, corn, fava beans, and aromatic herbs, all buried underground and slow-cooked by the residual heat of the stones. This oven adaptation captures the essence of the dish using the same marinades and ingredient combinations. The meats are rubbed with huacatay (black mint), chincho herbs, aji panca, and cumin, then roasted low and slow until tender and infused with earthy, herbal flavors. Pachamanca is a celebration dish, prepared for festivals, family reunions, and community gatherings.
Ingredients
- 500 g pork shoulder, cut into large pieces
- 500 g lamb shoulder, cut into large pieces
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 4 tablespoons aji panca paste
- 3 tablespoons huacatay paste (black mint paste)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced to a paste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 kg mixed potatoes (yellow and purple), scrubbed
- 4 ears of corn, halved
- 300 g fava beans in their pods
- 8 large banana leaves for wrapping
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
8 step-by-step instructions with timers and hands-free Cook Mode narration, in the OriginEats app.
- Portion scaling for any number of servings
- Auto-generated grocery list, grouped by aisle
- Add it to your weekly meal plan in one tap
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 24 g
