Thursday, November 21, 2013

Pork chuc with green tortillas and pumpkin seed dip

Pork 
Marinate pork fillet chopped into thin minute steaks in 3 lime and 1 orange juice and salt and pepper for 20- 30 mins. Drain juice and reserve. 
Saute in a pan until golden.
Add the reserved juice and simmer gently for about 5 mins. 
2 red onion cut in half and peeled with pepper and salt wrap well in aluminium foil. Roast over fire or in oven 
Chop the roasted red onions into slices and mix with lime juice. 
 
Dip
1/2 Red onion cut in half and peeled with pepper and salt wrap well in aluminium foil. 
3 tomatoes in half with salt and pepper and wrap in aluminium foil. 
Cook over the fire or in an oven. 
Can also use banana leaves instead of aluminium foil. 
Blend a cup of roasted then ground pumpkin seeds with mashed tomatoes and onion pieces and coriander leaves.

Chaya tortillas 
2 large handfuls of Chaya (substitute with spinach)
Put in food processor or cut very finely
Mix equal parts water and cornflour 
400g flour with 400mL water for 10 people 
Mix with a pinch of salt and the Chaya 
Knead until smooth and then shape into bowls and squash into tortilla 
For chayita fold into three 
Deep fry until golden around the edges 












Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Tortilla and fajitas

1kg flour (corn) 
1L water 
Pinch of salt 
Squash between two plates 
Cook with no oil in hot pan 

Chicken marinate in lime, salt, pepper
Cook chicken
Separately cook onion, capsicum red and green 
Add chicken lime juice and then at end coriander. 

Beans
Cook chorizo in crumbles 
Add beans and simmer 













Saturday, October 26, 2013

Tipon

Terraces with flowing water.

Pisac markets

Talked up as the best markets in the region.
I preferred cusco San pedro markets. Cheaper and less touristy than pisac.
Still fun for a look.
We ate at one of the restaurants near the veg market and I was food poisoned. Luckily it only made me sick for the afternoon.

Pisac archaeological site

Spectacular!
A great day trip drive to see the sacred valley. 200 soles for a private taxi for the day.
Awana Kancha, pisac ruins and markets, tipon, pikillaqta.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Awana Cancha 2

Awana Cancha

On the road from cusco to pisac.
Alpaca and llama zoo. Run by a group of families.
Free entrance. Small donation to feed the animals.
So fun!
Also a small weaving, spinning, dyeing demonstration.

Another three festivals in Cusco

Every day there is another excuse to have a parade with a marching band in Cusco.
Today it seems like there were three!

Co-op building

Human conveyor belt

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Salinas de Maras

Salt mines just outside Maras.
Intricate design to allow the salty water to crystallise in various ponds.

Peru or Mexico?

Moray

Incredible Incan ruins.
Tucked in a valley near Maras. Impossible to see even a sign of them until standing right on the edge.
Concentric terraced circles. Pollen from many different plants and soils from all over the Andes have been found here. Temperature varies as much as 15C from top to bottom.
The theory is that it was used as a biological testing ground. The different levels mimic the different climates through the Incan lands.

Town of Maras

The stepping stone for Moray.
A cute little sandy town made of mud bricks

Views on the road to maras

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Dogs at tambomachay

Tambomachay

Caught a taxi from cusco to tambomachay. 20 soles.
More Incan ruins.

Choco Museo

Lamb!

Building work...messy work

Views of cusco

Alfajores

Alfajores

From a local lady in a little shop.

Shoes made of old tires!

All the locals wear them...

Arroz con leche y maize

Cusqueñan street food.
Rice pudding and a syrup made from black maize.
Yummy

Centre Qosqo de Arte Nativo

A one hour dance program. Included in the buleto turistico for 120 soles. (1AUD =0.38 soles).
We arrived at 6.20 and there must have been a line of about 500 people!
They started letting people in and the line moved quickly... We were the second last people let in and they locked the gates behind us.
Beautiful costumes...maybe a bit long but worth going to see.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Bus breakdown

Bus breakdown on side of road... Rather high altitude. Freezing cold and drizzly and foggy. 

Plaza del Armas

San Pedro Mercado

Schoolmates enjoying local 'donuts' with honey syrup 

San pedro

Cows noses and bulls horns

San Pedro market

San Pedro market

Only 4 soles fir delicious two course lunch. 
More than enough food!

Lunch Taquile Island

Yummy river trout.
Disregard own advice regarding river poisoning?