There were also several types of edible
clay, like
pasa, which was used as sauce for potatoes and other tubers, and
chaco, something used by the poor or religiously devout. As in the rest of Central and South America,
chili peppers were an important and highly praised part of their diet.
Vegetables and fruits The Inca realm stretched north–south, encompassing a great variety of climate zones. In particular, the mountain ranges in Peru provide highly varied types of growing zones at different altitudes, explaining why there were many terraces built for agriculture. The different altitudes that the terraces were built in helped create a way for the Incas to be able to cultivate a wide number of staples. For example: •
Potatoes were highly valued for their wide diversity and adaptability to different environments and climates. They were commonly used in stews (308). Species of the
Chenopodium family in the Inca cuisine were
Chenopodium pallidicaule, also known as
cañihua, and
Chenopodium quinoa, or
quinoa, due to their ability to survive in the high altitudes of the Andes.
Quinoa has grown popular in the modern world beyond the Andes due to its adaptability, nutritional value, and many uses. • Another high-altitude plant in Inca cuisine is
Lupinus mutabilis, also known as
tarwi or
chocho. High in protein, this plant was often eaten with
chilis and
onions after being carefully treated, since improper treatment can leave the crop poisonous. Like
chocho in protein count,
Ahipa (
Pachyrhizus ahipa) was another crop in Inca cuisine. It grows rapidly and has a high yield rate of the tubers that were cherished for their sweet taste like
water chestnuts. • Another tuber consumed in the Andes was
Tropaeolum tuberosum, also known as
mashua and
añu in
Quechua, due to its resistance to droughts and frost. It was specially prepared and cooked to bring out the flavor that was desired as it was very bitter before doing so. So much so that it was considered an
aphrodisiac and given to the Inca soldiers during campaigns to make them forget about their spouses. • Other roots that could be found in the Inca cuisine were the
maka (
Lepidium meyenii) and the
yacón (
Polymnia sonchifolia).
Maka was capable of surviving in the coldest and highest areas of the Andes, thus giving it high value.
Yacón was documented to be similar to a turnip in texture but was very sweet and kept well, making them popular on sea voyages. • The insipid, starchy root
ullucu, and
arracacha, something like a cross between carrot and celery, were, like potatoes, used in stews and soup.
Achira, a species of
Canna, was a sweet, starchy root that was baked in earth ovens. Since it had to be transported up to the power center of
Cuzco, it is considered to have been food eaten as part of a tradition. Although the roots and tubers provided the staples of the Inca, they were still considered lower in rank than
maize (
Zea mays). • It has been found that the Inca-conquered lands were often transitioned from potato fields to maize fields, more than likely due to maize being the main ingredient of
chicha. • Several species of
seaweed, such as
Porphyra,
Durvillaea antarctica, and
Ulva lactuca were part of the Inca diet and could be eaten fresh or dried. Some freshwater algae and blue algae of the genus
Nostoc were eaten raw or processed for storage. In post-colonial times it has been used to make a dessert by boiling it in sugar.
Pepino, a refreshing and thirst-quenching fruit, was eaten by common folk, but scorned by "pampered folk" and was considered difficult to digest. • Another fruit that was available to the Incas was the
passion fruit (
Passiflora spp.) which was actually named so by the Spanish conquistadors and explorers due to the claim that the flowers of the plant contained the symbols of the passion of Christ. The fruit itself is like a
pomegranate as they both have a mass of seeds covered by juicy flesh. • A fruit that was described as an interesting snack available in the Andes during the time of the Inca Empire was the paqay (
Inga feuilleei), or the
guaba, which was known for its sweet, spongey substance that covers its seeds. A lesser valued fruit within Inca cuisine was the
lúcuma (
Lucuma bifera) which was difficult to consume and had little flavor. Opposite to the lucuma in popularity, due to their tender texture and the sweet juice they produce, were the almonds within
Caryocar amygdaliferum of the
Chachapoyas. They were luxury goods for many generations as many have been found within early tombs of the region.
Meats vian dishes of
cuy meat Peoples of the
Altiplano had two large domesticated animals:
llamas and
alpacas. Among the food products made from the Peruvian camelids was
sharqui, strips of freeze-dried meat, the origin of modern-day
jerky. Another meat for royalty was that of the lizards known as
Dicrodon holmbergi. It would be trapped as it attempted to consume the pods of
Prosopis juliflora. After being trapped, it would be paralyzed and cooked until it was easily skinned. Afterwards, it was cooked for another ten minutes in heated sand and ashes then gutted, thus making it to be consumed immediately or preserved for up to a year. The meat of the common folk was the
cuy,
guinea pig. They were domesticated by 2000 BC and were easy to keep and multiplied rapidly. Guinea pigs were often cooked by stuffing them with hot stones. The entrails would often be used as an ingredient in soups along with potatoes, or made into a sauce. They could also be used for divination, which later brought them into disfavor by the Catholic Church. The Incas hunted game including the wild
camelids
vicuña and
guanaco,
whitetail deer,
huemul deer and
viscacha, a kind of
chinchilla which was hunted with
lassos. Hunting rights were controlled by the state and any meat would go into the state warehouses for storage. In massive royal hunts, hunting teams would force huge herds into enclosures, and there are reports of several thousand animals being caught in a single great hunt, including puma, bear, fox and deer. One mainstay of the Inca army and the general population was dried fish.
Skates,
rays, small sharks of the genus
Mustelus, mullets and
bonito were among the fish caught off the Peruvian coast. Other sea creatures like
seabirds,
penguins,
sea lions and
dolphins were eaten, as were various
crustaceans and
chitons,
limpets, mussels,
chanque (an
abalone-like animal). Like other American peoples, the Inca ate animals that were often considered vermin by many Europeans, such as frogs,
caterpillars,
beetles, and
ants.
Mayfly larvae were eaten raw or toasted and ground to make loaves that could then be stored. The Inca's intricate food preservation methods and storage system allowed for there to be enough food in times of need (when crops failed, during times of war) or in times of success (when celebrating and rewarding everyone's hard work). ==Food preparation==