Atoc—fox |
Sisa—flower |
Inkasisa—royal flower |
Suyana—hope |
Killa—moon |
Tamaya—center |
Rumi—rock |
Taruka—doe |
Sajra—evil |
Umaq—traitor |
SPANISH
Araña—spider |
Cafe con leche—coffee with milk |
Azúcar—sugar |
Hormigas—ants |
Fuego—fire |
Girasoles—sunflowers |
Mentiras—lies |
Desayuno—breakfast |
Achachairu: my favorite fruit from Bolivia. It’s egg-shaped and tastes like lemonade
Aji amarillo: yellow hot pepper
Api: a breakfast drink made of purple maize, cinnamon, sugar, and water
Choclo: large kernel corn from the Andes
Cuñapes: Bolivian cheese bread made from yuca starch and queso fresco; usually served at teatime, in the afternoon
Huacatay: cream of black mint
Llajwa: chili sauce made of locoto, tomatoes, and onion; I add this to everything!
Locoto: chili pepper; key ingredient in llajwa
Maracuya: passion fruit. Drinking fruit juice in Bolivia is as popular as drinking fountain sodas, often more so. Popular choices are maracuya, durazno (peach), fresa (strawberry), and pera (pear). You can blend them with water or milk
Marraqueta: crispy, salty bread; a breakfast staple, often topped with dulce de leche
Pasankalla: puffed white maize, coated in sugar; we eat this at the movies!
Quinoa: crop held sacred by the Incas, the “mother of all grains.” It’s our version of rice. I grew up eating it, and when it became popular in the States, I was thrilled to see it everywhere on menus!
Salteñas: baked football-shaped empanada from Bolivia, filled with beef, pork, or chicken, raisins, peas, and exactly one black olive and boiled egg. The juice is like a stew and made with gelatin. When baked, the gelatin slowly melts and turns into a soup inside the dough
Sándwich de chola: Bolivian street sandwich with pork, beef, or chicken
Silpancho: popular Bolivian dish in my mother’s native Cochabamba. Base layer is white rice, followed by a layer of pan-fried potatoes, then a thin layer of breaded meat, diced tomatoes, and white onion. Topped with fried egg and parsley. A family favorite
Singani: liquor made from white wine grapes and produced in the high valley of Bolivia
Sopa de mani: another favorite from Cochabamba. Peanut soup served before the main meal at lunch. Usually topped with crispy potatoes sliced into thin matchsticks
Té de maté: my mom gave this to me whenever I was sick—a bitter tea that I never warmed up to, but it’s a particular favorite in Bolivia
Yuca frita: starchy root vegetable, often fried and dipped into sauces