It’s a culinary tradition passed down from the pre-Incan inhabitants of the area. In Quechua, pacha means earth and manka means pot. The dish is made by heating stones over a fire, then placing them in a hole in the ground, along with all the ingredients wrapped tightly in cloth, before burying it all to let it cook for an hour underground. With some variation, the plate is filled to the brim with pork, potatoes, green beans, plantains, chicken and corn smothered in a flavorful assembly of herbs and spices. While it can be made above ground, cooking pachamanca in the earth gives the food an earthy, smoky aroma – like it was handed to you straight from the palms of mother earth.
Aside from my usual blend of indie music that reminds me of home, this week I listened to regional music shared by my host mom and the taxi drivers. My host mom really enjoys a genre of music called santiago, while the taxi drivers always play the same mix of music, either cumbia or tunantadas. One thing I’ve noticed about music in the Andes is that it’s typically very brass-heavy – with some bands featuring three saxophone players or more. The rhythm ranges from an upbeat bounce upheld by a tinny keyboard, to slow and unpronounced, like dripping honey. Watch this video for a glimpse of tunantada.
