10 traditional Chilean dishes to try
Chile has an array of tasty traditional dishes for you to try when on holiday. They are made of great quality ingredients and in general are not spicy but let the ingredients themselves tell the story.
Chile‘s climate and geographical position has blessed it with great conditions for growing crops, fruit and vegetables as well as rearing live stock. It exports much fruit and vegetables, has good quality meat produce and a cold current running more than 4,200 Km (2,600 miles) up its coastline which provides an abundance of sea food.
Here are 10 of our picks of Chilean food for you to try, in no particular order:
1) Empanadas
Each South American country has their version of these savoury turnovers.
The Chilean ones are large!
The traditional ones are:
Empanada de Pino – chopped beef, onion, cumin, raisins, an olive, and slice of hard boiled egg.
Empanada de Queso – usually flaky pastry with cheese filling.
Empanada de Marisco – stuffed with mixed shellfish.
Have as a starter, as a snack, hot or cold. Great whilst on the go.
2) Pastel de Choclo
This is usually baked in an earthenware bowl.
The base will be a layer of minced beef, onion, chicken, raisin, black olive and hard boiled egg. This is topped with a layer of crushed corn and basil. It is then baked in the oven and served piping hot with a sprinkling of icing sugar.
There is a version, known as Patelera de Choclo which is just the corn layer.
Delightful all year round.
3) Humita
These are a firm favourite in summer and consist of ground corn mixed with onion and basil. The mixture is wrapped in corn leaves and boiled in salted water.
Popular as a starter.
Other countries have something similar and they call them Tamales.
4) Machas a la Parmesana
A blessing from the sea and a firm favourite.
Grilled razor clams with melted Parmesan cheese.
Best served in the open air by the seaside as an accompaniment to a chilled white wine.
5) Ensalada Chilena
Juicy sliced or chopped tomato, thinly sliced onion, chopped cilantro and slivers of yellow chilli pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkling of salt and a dash of lemon juice.
This side dish is ready to accompany any main.
6) Porotos con rienda
This is a countryside bean stew. A hearty mix of beans, pumpkin, chopped onion, garlic, and chopped spaghetti flavoured with oregano and cumin.
Good filling lunch time dish followed by a nap.
7) Sopaipillas
These are very popular in winter especially as a street food.
A pastry is made of pumpkin or squash with flour and then deep fried.
Great with pebre or chancho en piedra.
Eat at any time.
8) Chancho en Piedra
Salsa made of chopped tomato, garlic, onion and salt. Either vegetable or olive oil. For best results it must be ground in a mortar and pestle.
You will also find pebre which is the above but with cilantro and lemon juice.
Can be eaten on bread, as an accompaniment to meat or with sopaipillas.
9) Chorrillana
This is serious calorific food and popular the day after having had a heavy night out.
The lower layer is french fries, followed by fried onions, diced beef, smokey sausage and topped with two fried eggs.
It is wise to eat this as a shared dish and start the diet the following day.
10) Caldillo de Congrio
This dish has had a poem dedicated to it by Chile’s Nobel prize winning poet Pablo Neruda – “Oda al Caldillo de Congrio”.
This is conger stewed in a mixture of chopped tomatoes, carrots, chilli, cilantro, wine, cream and seasoning.
Congrio – conger, is very popular in Chile and is also widely served fried or grilled. One of the blessings from the sea.
Lunch or dinner favourite.
And more…
Try the avocados, peaches, plums, nectarines, watermelon, melon, prickly pears, cherries and the list goes on.
Taste a Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and the list goes on.
Have a cheeky pisco sour, mango sour, whisky sour and the list goes on.
