Chicharrón cusqueño
Pieces of pork cooked in their own fat until golden and crisp, served with mote (white corn), potato, mint and salsa criolla. In Cusco it’s the Sunday breakfast in the chicharronerías.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork ribs or belly, in pieces
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- Salt
- 500 g cooked mote or white corn
- 4 boiled potatoes
- Fresh mint
- For the salsa: 1 red onion, thinly sliced, juice of 2 limes, chilli and coriander
How to make it at home
- Put the pork in a pot with the crushed garlic, cumin, salt and enough water to cover.
- Cook over a medium heat, uncovered, until the water evaporates (about 1 hour).
- Let the meat fry in the fat it has released, turning it, until golden and crisp.
- Mix the onion with the lime, chilli, coriander and salt for the salsa.
- Serve the chicharrón with the mote, the potatoes browned in the same fat, mint and the salsa.
The trick: Don’t add oil: the pork fries in its own fat.