Every town and family has its own recipe, so you will never eat the same juane twice.
It was so exciting to unwrap my first juane and have a wave of steam hit my face. The warm, earthy aroma hits you first: a blend of rice, spices, and the faint, smoky scent of the leaf itself. The first bite includes perfectly seasoned rice, tender chicken, and egg adding a rich balance. I picked out the olives though...I'm not a big olive girl!
Honestly, I just felt so grateful to my host family and connected to the Amazonas community. Food is a huge part of the culture here and a way that people express their love. Eating juane wasn’t just about trying a dish; it was about experiencing a piece of the Peruvian Amazon’s heart.
It begins with the rice, which is cooked with turmeric or saffron to give it a rich golden color and a warm, earthy flavor. Sauté the rice with garlic and onions. The filling, usually a piece of seasoned chicken, a hard-boiled egg, and black olives, is prepared separately. The chicken is marinated with garlic, cumin, pepper, and salt, allowing the spices to soak in. Large banana leaves are cleaned and softened over heat to make them pliable.
