I’ve found that most Colombians have several of these little bocadillos or meriendas (snacks) throughout the day, leaving the biggest meal for lunch and having something smaller for dinner. In general, though, Colombian portions are all around larger than what I’m used to in the U.S. When my mom came to visit me for Christmas, there was one meal when we couldn’t decide between tamales or ajiaco, so we both ordered one of each, thinking they’d be small enough to pair and make a meal. Ajiaco is a traditional breakfast soup that usually consists of broth, shredded chicken, potatoes, cheese, a piece of corn on the cob and an herb called guasca, all served with white rice and avocado on the side. Tamales are popular in various regions of South America, and Colombian tamales are kind of like a big pile of corn dough wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed with vegetables and meats. Essentially, ordering both was way too much food, and we had enough leftovers to share with three people experiencing homelessness near the restuarant.
Two other very traditional Colombian dishes are bandeja paisa and mojarra. Bandeja paisa is most popular in the regions of Antioquia (one of the 32 departments of Colombia) and el eje cafetero (the coffee zone, a region known for its coffee production), but you can find it anywhere in the country. It’s a heavy meal that usually has rice, beans, morcilla (blood sausage), a slice of avocado, plantain, chicharrones (fried pork belly) or beef, an arepa and a fried egg.
