{"id":4475,"date":"2012-05-07T19:20:00","date_gmt":"2012-05-08T00:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fertur-travel.com\/blog\/?p=4475"},"modified":"2025-12-19T12:43:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T17:43:34","slug":"peruvian-guinea-pig-dish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fertur-travel.com\/blog\/2012\/peruvian-guinea-pig-dish\/4475\/","title":{"rendered":"Peruvian Guinea Pig Recipe Is Actually Delicious!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Peruvian guinea pig recipe<\/strong> is truly classic! Archaeological evidence shows guinea pigs were domesticated in Peru as far back as 2500 B.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cuy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here, in the land of the rodent’s birthplace, it remains a culinary delicacy<\/strong>, as well as a mainstay of Andean folk medicine and a common religious sacrifice to the gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 17th century native chronicler, Guaman Poma de Ayala, wrote that the Incas sacrificed 1,000 white guinea pigs along with 100 llamas in Cuzco’s main plaza each July “so that neither the sun nor the waters would harm the food and the fields.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peruvian<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While the Catholic Church brutally suppressed and destroyed Indian religious icons as part of the Spanish extirpation campaigns of the 16th century, guinea pigs were conspicuously spared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geronimo de Loayza, the first bishop of Lima from 1545 to 1575, rejected pressure from Spanish priests to order the mass extermination of the rodents, for fear it would spark an indigenous rebellion. A main facet of original Peruvian food<\/strong> was spared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spanish colonizers made Indian artists paint, weave and carve items with Catholic themes to decorate churches and evangelize the natives. The artists copied prints imported from Europe, but added Peruvian touches.  Today, churches in Lima and Cuzco still display depictions of  the Last Supper with Jesus and the 12 disciples eating roasted guinea pig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Last<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n
Guinea pig is high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol and has a distinctive flavor, similar to rabbit.Rick Vecchio<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The most common preparation for cuy is chactado, or simply, deep-fried, and served with the head staring up from the plate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is served this way in places like Trujillo and Chiclayo on Peru’s northern Pacific coast, and in Cajamarca, Ayacucho, Huaraz<\/a>, Arequipa and Cuzco, in the northern and southern Andes<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But fried guinea pig is hardly the only way it is made. There is also “cuy al horno<\/em>,” or roasted guinea pig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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