Bolivian Cuisine

A hundred years ago, Bolivian cuisine was predominantly vegetable. Because the only meat came from the lamas and vicuñas. Otherwise, only few animals are adapted to the plateaus at 4000m. Unfortunately, however, in the last few years the meat diet has been introduced by globalization. Meanwhile, many dishes with meat and eggs. Animal products are still a bit of luxury and a sign of quality. That means, if they say it is cheaply produced, vegetable oil was used instead of butter or lard. In Bolivia, humitas are mostly prepared with lard, partly even with cheese; it is best to ask for it.
Happy Cow is worth gold in Bolivia. It leads one into many restaurants that are only visited by local people and serve delicious healthy food at reasonable prices. Many of these places are run by the Adventists or the Hare Krishna Commune. Although the menus are mostly vegetarian, it is very rarely a problem to get a vegan version. Unfortunately, these restaurants are only open for lunch. So for dinner you have to find something else. But in every Bolivian restaurant it should be possible to order a quinoa soup. Usually, Llajhua is served with the dishes, a spicy hot sauce that is also vegan.
The breakfast consists on coffee or cocamate (tea made of coca leaves) and bread. Snacks are often sold at bus stations and on buses. Salteñas are filled with meat and vegetables, tucumanas are similar to empanadas. In both cases the filling is not vegan. Around and in the markets there are the cheapest dishes, but they are rarely vegetarian let alone vegan.

Vegan dishes

  • K’allu (sometimes with cheese)
  • Papawayk’u (potato dish)
  • Llajhua (spicy sauce)
  • Ají de Garbanzo (Easter dinner)
  • Mocochinchi (peach syrup)
  • Chuflay (ginger drink)

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