Pachamanca

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg of pork
• 1.5 kg of beef
• 8 pieces of chicken
• 3 guinea pigs
• 1.5 kg of ground apples
• 1 kg of sweet potatoes
• 1 kg of oca (Andean tubers)
• 500 g of broad beans
• 1 kg of cassava
• 8 humitas or tamales
• Fresh cheese, in individual portions
• Corn stalks
• garlic
• Huacatay (Peruvian black mint)
• Paico
• Palillo (Peruvian turmeric)
• hot pepper ají mirasol
• Vinegar
• salt, pepper, and cumin
• Banana leaves

Combine the huacatay with the hot pepper, garlic, palillo, pepper, and vinegar. Rub this mixture onto the meat and chicken pieces, and let it marinate overnight.

Dig a regular hole in the ground and line the bottom with clean stones. Meanwhile, heat other stones, which are more flat, in a large fire near the hole, so that they can later be used as a makeshift oven.

Place the hot stones at the bottom of the cooking vessel, followed by the earth apples, sweet potatoes, yams, and cassava. Cover with more hot stones.

On the second floor, place the marinated meats, seasoned with huacatay and paico. Separate each level with banana leaves to protect the food from the ground, and add some hot stones.

On the next level, arrange the pre-cooked tamales or humitas, blanched broad beans, boiled chicken, cheese, and corn. Cover with banana leaves, then a thick cloth.

Seal everything with dry soil and cover the mound with a wool poncho. Allow to bake for several hours before uncovering.