Cau Cau is a unique dish that many North Americans are unfamiliar with and is popular in Peru and Africa.
The dish consists of tripe, onions, garlic, potatoes, and peas.
Even though that is what the original dish is made of, there are many variations of Cau Cau. But how do you make it?
Cau Cau is a Peruvian tripe stew popular in Africa, Peru, and other areas in South America. The dish normally contains tripe, onions, garlic, potatoes, and peas. However, many modern variations include chicken or beef with a side of rice.
This article will describe what Cau Cau is, cover the dish’s history, show you all of the ingredients you need, and tell you how to cook the dish. Let’s get cooking!
What Is Cau Cau?
Cau Cau is a popular Peruvian dish. It is a tripe stew that has Creole influences and is popular in many areas in South America, but it is most prominent in Peru and Africa.
The stew has many variations. People often substitute the tripe for chicken, seafood, or beef, with the main spices including cumin, turmeric, and onions.
Even though some people serve the dish alone, many serve the Peruvian stew with a side of rice.
History of Cau Cau
Even though its origins are unclear, people believe that Cau Cau originated in Lima.
Centuries ago, Spanish explorers and soldiers brought back African slaves to work for them in Peru, who would create different dishes from what they had access to.
Most of the time, there were only scraps of food available.
Tripe was one of the few available meat ingredients.
The African workers created the original Cau Cau dish with tripe, potatoes, peas, and seasoning.
African cuisine and cooking techniques have greatly influenced Peruvian cuisine and continue to do so.
The Cau Cau dish is one of many Peruvian dishes that has roots tracing back to Africa.
How To Make Cau Cau
Now that we know what Cau Cau is and how it came to be, let’s find out how to cook it.
There are many different variations of the meal.
The version we give you uses the tripe since that is how Peruvians originally ate it.
However, feel free to replace it with seafood, chicken, or beef.
Cau Cau Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you need:
Tripe Ingredients
- 2 Fresh mint sprigs
- 1 ½ quart (48 oz) of water
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) Beef tripe
Sofrito (Sauce) Ingredients
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp of salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 2 tsp of garlic paste
- 1 diced onion (medium)
- ½ tsp of Aji Amarillo paste
Stew Ingredients
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) of peeled potatoes (cut into squares)
- 1 cup (about 130 g) of peas
- 2 cups (about 500 ml) of tripe stock (can replace with chicken or beef stock)
- 2 tsp of bouillon paste
- Mint (garnish)
Instructions
Before getting started, cut the uncooked tripe into pieces.
If you are using beef, chicken, or seafood, do the same with this meat.
Remember to match the broth with the meat, or you’ll have a very different tasting dish that won’t be as good.
Follow the steps below to get started:
- Boil the tripe pieces in a pot for 30 minutes on high heat.
- After the tripe has boiled for 30 minutes, dump out the old water. Fill the pot again with fresh water and add the mint, then let simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Put the cooked tripe onto a cutting board and let cool. After it has cooled, cut the tripe into smaller pieces.
- Cook the onion and garlic with the cooking oil in a pot, then place it over medium-high heat.
- Add cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper, and the Aji Amarillo paste; then cook for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of tripe stock to the pot. Then add the tripe pieces, and bring to a boil. Then let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add potatoes and let the mixture simmer until the potatoes are soft.
- Add the green peas and let the pot simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve the dish with rice, and top it off with mint.
Final Cau Cau Thoughts
Cau Cau is a delicious Peruvian dish with African roots.
The origin is unclear, but many people believe that Cau Cau originated in Lima.
The dish consists of tripe, onions, potatoes, and peas, but many people substitute the tripe with chicken and serve the meal with a side of rice.
If you enjoyed Cau Cau, check out Flavors of Africa: Discover Authentic Family Recipes From All Over the Continent by Evi Aki.
Sources
- Eat Peru: Cau Cau – Peruvian Tripe Stew
- Taste Atlas: Cau Cau
- Pisco Trail: Cau Cau
- Wikipedia: Offal
- La Costanera: Cau Cau Has Its Roots In African Cooking
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.