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Causa Limeña is one of the most popular dishes in Peruvian cuisine. There’s nothing else like it. For those unfamiliar, Causa Limeña is kind of a spicy sturdy mashed potato sandwich filled with chicken, veggies and avocado (avocados are fruit and I’ll die on this hill) mixed with mayonnaise and decorated with a boiled egg and black olives. This Peruvian treasure is so revered in our country that when people affectionately call to someone, they’ll say, “Hey, causa!”
Serves: 4-5
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 kg chicken breast (do yourself a favour and get some without bones)
1 kg potatoes (preferably yellow ones) — Lazy tip: buy instant mashed potatoes and use water instead of milk. Causa Limeña needs a more robust consistency, so use a little less water than is called for.
1 medium to large red onion
2 boiled eggs
1 lime (or 2 tbsp lime juice)
1 avocado (more if you like it and can afford it)
5 tbsp yellow chilli paste, or Ají Amarillo (vital ingredient that you can get at a Latin store)
2 tbsp olive oil
Mayonnaise “to taste” (making grandma proud with this measurement)
Salt and pepper, also to your preference
Optional:
A few pitted black olives (I cannot stress enough how optional these are)
Instead of chicken, you can use shredded tuna, shrimp, crab, or cooked veggies!
Method:
- Start by cooking the unpeeled potatoes in boiling, salted water. Cook for 10-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. When ready, take them out, drain, and peel them.
- While the potatoes are boiling, cook the chicken breast in a saucepan with boiling water. Take it out when it is ready, let it cool a little, and then shred it.
- Mash the potatoes, then add the lime juice, yellow chilli paste, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything well and set it aside. The mixture should be a vibrant yellow.
- In a bowl, mix the shredded chicken breast with the thinly chopped onion, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper.
- In a glass cooking Tupperware, assemble the causa. First, add a thick layer of potato, then place a layer of avocado slices. Add another layer of the shredded chicken mixture, and finally, add another layer of potato.
- Garnish with chopped boiled egg, mayonnaise to taste, and pitted black olives cut into thin slices. Place the Peruvian causa in the fridge until serving time to eat it chilled.
7. Be ready to impress with this manjar de los dioses (delicacy of the gods).
