What was incas food

Like modern Peruvians, the Incas had access to a seemingly endless variety of fruits. Papaya, passion fruit, pepino, tomato, tree tomato tamarillo , lucuma, cherimoya, cactus fruit tunas , ice-cream beans pacay , various berries; the list goes on and on. Nuts provided another valuable food source. Varieties included peanuts, the Andean walnut and the nut of the Quito palm.

With only two large domesticated animals alpacas and llamas , much of the meat supply was obtained through hunting and gathering:. The Inca heartlands were located in the Andean highlands, at some distance from the Pacific coast. Traditionally, therefore, the Incas caught fish and hunted aquatic birds in highland lakes and rivers.

During its rapid expansion, however, the Inca Empire absorbed many coastal cultures. Not only did the empire acquire a coastline, it obtained, through conquered and assimilated tribes, the knowledge required to harvest coastal resources. More than 2, years prior to the Inca Empire, coastal fishermen had been using reed watercrafts, known as caballitos de totora , to harvest the ocean with net and line similar vessels existed on Lake Titicaca, but the sea was a different prospect.

The coastal catch included everything from salt-water fish such as bonito similar to tuna, still popular in Peru to rays, sharks, skates and dolphins. Luckily for them, these people were highly skilled at farming. They used terraces to water their crops and raised llamas and alpacas for meat and wool.

They planted amaranth, peppers, maize, and potatoes. Quinoa, zapallo, and maca also became staple ingredients in their diet. Besides vegetables, the Inca people ate plenty of fruits and nuts. They also ate meat from frogs, deer, and guinea pigs. The poor sometimes ate insects like beetles and ants to get more protein in their diet.

Eventually, the Inca Empire expanded to the coast and people were able to add fish to their daily meals. They learned how to fish from the tribes they conquered. Even in a harsh location, the Inca people learned to develop their skills.

They also harnessed the power of their natural surroundings. They became masters of smoking and drying meat by using the cold mountain slopes and high altitude. The original tomatoes cultivated by the Incas were small about the size of a pea and less sweet. Some varieties of tomatoes have a very sweet taste, while others are acidic. So choosing the right variety is important when preparing a dish. In ancient Peru, there was also much more diversity in the types of tomato. But this comes at a cost in vitamins, flavor, and biodiversity.

Squash is the common name of a species of gourd called Cucurbita. Squash was probably grown and harvested in Peru as far back as years go. Squash has a sweet, nutty flavor often compared to the taste of sweet potatoes.

Squash is still a cherished delicacy today and appears in desserts and entrees, such as Picarones. Inca food and farming consisted mostly of fish, grains and vegetables, but meat featured when it was available.

In Inca cities, Meat sold in markets as occasional treats and a good source of additional protein. In other regions, wild animals were hunted for their meat.

The ruling Inca families declared which animals were legal to hunt in their territory. Royals and nobles of the ruling family were privileged to hunt all species. Thanks to its size, llama meat was a significant source of meat protein for the indigenous tribes of Peru. Llama was the meat of choice for charqui , a meat snack similar to the jerky that people consume today. Charqui was a key ingredient in olluquitos de carne , a popular pre-hispanic dish.

Like many game meats llama is noticeably lean and for some, is a healthy alternative to beef. Another staple meat of the Incas, Alpaca is a delicious alternative to domesticated meats like beef and pork. With a sweet and tender taste, alpaca meat is also low in fat, cholesterol and calories. Alpaca makes a good substitute for Beef and turkey in recipes.

A typical deer has the same amount of meat you would expect from an alpaca in a similar size. Two common species of deer in the Inca Empire were the vicuna and guanaco. Deer hunting was exclusive to Inca royalty. The Inca pursued game animals with large slingshots and lassos.

A delicacy in some regions of the Inca Empire. Frog meat aficionados say that frog tastes like chicken or fish. The texture and size are like typical chicken wings. These days, the legs of the frog are the most popular part of the frog. Fried or grilled, frogs are full of potassium, protein, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. Sometimes classified as seafood, penguins were found along the southernmost coasts of the Inca Empire. The meat of penguin tastes like duck flesh.