Causa Peruana with Shrimp

The Causa Peruana with Shrimp I had on a food tour in Lima Peru last year was incredible. Have you ever eaten Peruvian food?

I've been saying I was going to make this recipe at home since that trip, but I've been traveling so much that I just kept putting it off. 

Now that I've tasted it again, I'm going to try some different Causa Peruana varieties.

It's really so delicious with shrimp, but you can prepare it with chicken, crab, or even make it vegetarian. It's a pretty hearty meal and makes a beautiful presentation.

One ingredient you'll find in a lot of Peruvian dishes is potatoes. I learned quite a bit about the origin of potatoes when visiting Potato Park on the G Adventures Cusco Tour.

Did you know the Incas in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes sometime between 8000 and 5000 BC?

The indigenous people of Potato Park are working to preserve over 3,000 species of potatoes. The potato is one of the main ingredients in this Causa Peruana. I hope you love it as much as I did!

Ingredients You'll Need

You will only need six ingredients to make this, along with salt and pepper. It's super easy to make!

Gather your potatoes, yellow chili paste, lime, mayonnaise, avocado, shrimp, and salt and pepper.

How to Make It

The first thing you'll want to do is to boil the potatoes. You'll need about ¾  cup of cooked diced potatoes for each serving.

Once the potatoes are tender, mash using a potato masher or food processor. 

Add yellow chili paste to your taste. If you like spicy, add about 3 teaspoons. For mild, just add 1 ½ teaspoons.

(Note: This is based on the chili paste I purchased. Some may be hotter, so I don't want to mislead you if you're using something else. Taste test a tiny bit to decide how much to use or buy the authentic Inca Food brand.)

Squeeze one slice of lime into potatoes and mix. 

Make the shrimp salad by cutting each cooked medium shrimp into three pieces. (I bought cooked shrimp, so add time if you're cooking it.)

Add mayonnaise and salt and pepper.

Cut avocado into slices.

Now you're ready to build the Causa Peruana with the shrimp salad.

Using a food ring, add a layer of potato to the bottom of the ring. Mash it down so there is no space.

Next, add shrimp salad, mashing down. You can add another layer of potatoes, but I added avocado next.

Finally, add another layer of mashed potatoes, mashing them down. Slowly remove the food ring, and your masterpiece will be revealed!

This is such an easy and delicious recipe! I can't wait to try some other ingredients.

You can also top the Peru Causa with your favorite veggies. Cucumber would be really good, and sliced red pepper would add color.

Get creative! Black olives would be pretty and add a little saltiness. You could also top with a whole shrimp. It's a beautiful dish either way, and I think you will love the flavor.

 

If you get to Cusco, add the Potato Park tour to your list. It really was an amazing experience.

Visiting Peru was a bucket list item. If you're thinking about going, check out traveling with G Adventures. They take care of everything for you, which means you can just book the trip and go.

No worrying about where to stay, where to eat, what to do - it's all mapped out for you. You'll have free time to explore, as well, but it's nice to be able to let someone else handle the basic itinerary. 

Lima Peru is only one of the destinations they offer at G Adventures - they have trips all over the world! While I was in Peru with them, I was able to visit Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Sacred Valley where I also had a traditional meal at the Parwa Community Restaurant. I still can't believe how much we were able to do on that one trip.

With so many itineraries all over the world, you're sure to find one that works for your family. G Adventures does a great job with tours for individual travelers, too.

Let me know if you book with them, and especially if you try this recipe for Peruvian Causa with shrimp.

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