Pachamanca from Huánuco

Ingredients

• 1 kg of pork
• 50 g of chincho (Andean herb)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of ají panca or ají amarillo paste
• One drop of vinegar
• salt, pepper, cumin
• 100 g of chocolate (as specified in the original recipe)
• 6 white garden apples
• 3 sweet potatoes
• Three small cassava roots
• Banana leaves or aromatic herbs for covering

For the marinade, grind the chinchao, chili pepper, garlic, and a splash of vinegar in a mortar (or use a blender). Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Cut the meat into pieces of about 300g each, coat them with the marinade, and let them rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.

Traditional method: dig a hole in the ground, fill it with heated stones, place the meat on top, followed by the apples, sweet potatoes, and cassava, cover with leaves and soil, and let it cook, covered in its own steam.

In the oven: place the meat and vegetables in a dish, cover with banana leaves or herbs, and bake for about 2 hours at 180 °C.