Colombian Food

This article was last updated 05 February 2012

Colombian Food actually features many exciting meals and ingredients and, if you are interested in South American cooking.

It might be of interest to you, to learn a little more about what Colombians eat.

Some Colombian food dishes are similar to authentic Mexican food recipes and others are very different from any other cuisine.

The basic side dish to any Colombian meal is arepa. This is a cornmeal-based bread and it is a bit like a thick pancake. Arepa is eaten with butter. Another delicious side dish is arroz con coco, and this Caribbean-style coconut rice is really good.

Cajiaco is Colombian comfort food. This chicken soup features two kinds of potatoes, sour cream, capers, corn and guasca, which is a South American herb.

Lechona comes from the Tolima region and to make this you need to stuff a whole roasted pig with yellow peas, rice, spices, and green onions and then cook it for ten hours in a clay oven. Lechona is popular at large gatherings and parties and arepa is usually served with it.

Common Meals In Colombia

Morcilla rellena is blood pudding or blood sausage. It is a common food which is often served deep fried. Bandeja paisa is one of the most filling meals and it is known as Colombia's national dish. Bandeja paisa is a big platter containing fried pork rind, grilled steak, chorizo, rice, red beans, sliced avocados, banana chips and fried egg.

Another common Colombian Food recipe is sancocho, although the ingredients vary from town to town. This dish includes plantains, chicken, cilantro, potatoes, corn, and cassava. It might be made with fish or pork instead of the chicken in some areas.

Puchero is a light soup which contains green bananas, pork, chicken, beef, manioc and more. It is usually served with avocado pulp, boiled egg, and aji, which is a hot sauce. Quesillos are delicious and these are double cream cheese wrapped in banana leaves.

Changua is often served for breakfast and this creamy soup is made by dropping eggs into a milk, water, and scallion mixture. It is important not to break the yolks. Changua is served with stale bread, which soaks in the soup, and some cilantro.

Food You Might Not Want To Order

Some Colombians eat ants. These creatures are harvested during the rainy season and the queen ants are used to make the dish. Their wings and large legs are picked off and then they are soaked in brine and roasted in a ceramic pot.

Peasants in the northeast of the country are fond of this meal and the tradition dates back hundreds of years. This dish is thought to be an aphrodisiac, so it is often given as a wedding gift. The ants might be high in protein but they are also becoming extinct in some regions.

Another meal which you should not order if you see it on a menu in Colombian food is charapa. This is a fresh water tortoise and it is becoming an endangered species, so it might be best to choose something else.