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Dish

Locro

Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes

Locro, also spelled lojro, is a hearty, thick stew of squash or potato associated with Native Andean civilizations and popular throughout the Andes; its name comes from the Quechua word ruqru. It is regarded as a national dish across much of the Andean region, including Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, northwestern Argentina and southwestern Colombia, and in Argentina it has ranked third among twenty eight foods studied for their importance to national gastronomy. The stew is built from squash, corn and papa chola potatoes, sometimes with meat such as beef, beef jerky or chorizo and other vegetables, and is typically finished with a hot sauce made from cayenne pepper and paprika, served hot.

Facts
Partially Attested
Origin Period, From (Year)
from 1726 1
Sourced to the subject's own accountMarks roughly three centuries before the present, the floor Wikipedia gives for how long the Argentine version of locro has been synthesizing European-introduced ingredients such as pork, chorizo and tripe; the older Andean root tradition itself is not given a fixed year anywhere in the article.
Origin Period, To (Year)
to 1910 1
Sourced to the subject's own accountMarks 1910, when locro was made the official national food of Argentina on its two patriotic dates according to Wikipedia, by which point the now-standard Europeanized dish described in the article was fixed; the article itself notes no legislation for this is actually known.
Origin RegionSourced to the subject's own account
The Andes (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, northwestern Argentina and southwestern Colombia), rooted in Native Andean cooking 1
FAQs

Why is locro eaten on 25 May in Argentina?

It is a tradition tied to the May Revolution of 1810, which 25 May commemorates.

In Argentina locro is traditionally eaten on a massive scale on 1 May and 25 May. The 25 May date commemorates the May Revolution of 1810 and the formation of the first Argentine patriotic government. Because of these patriotic dates, locro has gone from a regional and traditional dish to one of the national dishes of Argentina.
Connections

Expresses Tradition

Wedding Feast Traditions, Food Traditions
Source Locro (Wikipedia)

In Cuisine

Chilean Cuisine, Cuisines
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Peruvian Cuisine, Cuisines
Source Locro (Wikipedia)

Uses Ingredient

Beef, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Beef Jerky, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Cayenne Pepper, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Chorizo, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Hot Sauce, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Maize, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Meat, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Paprika, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Potato, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
Vegetable, Ingredients
Source Locro (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Originated In

Argentina

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Locro (Wikipedia)tier 3
Bolivia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Locro (Wikipedia)tier 3
Chile

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Locro (Wikipedia)tier 3
Ecuador

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Locro (Wikipedia)tier 3
Paraguay

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Locro (Wikipedia)tier 3
The Andes

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.

Source Locro (Wikipedia)tier 3
Sources
1. Locro (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Lead section
    It is one of the national dishes of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Northwest Argentina and Southwestern Colombia.
  • Composition
    Although the Argentine locro has Indo-American origins, its preparation in Argentina for at least three centuries synthesizes the European gastronomic contributions: for example, pork, chorizos, tripe and numerous seasonings have been contributed by the Europeans (especially by the Spanish).
  • Composition, patriotic-dates account
    on the anniversary of the Revolution of May, that is to say on May 25, 1910, practically (although no legislation is known in this respect) locro was made official as national food on the two main patriotic dates.
  • In Cuisine: Chilean Cuisine, Wikipedia category list
  • In Cuisine: Peruvian Cuisine, Wikipedia category list
  • Uses Ingredient: Maize, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Potato, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Meat, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Beef, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Beef Jerky, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Chorizo, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Vegetable, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Hot Sauce, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Cayenne Pepper, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Uses Ingredient: Paprika, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
  • Expresses Tradition: Wedding Feast Traditions, Article body
    Eventually, there is the custom of inviting guests with small casseroles of locro at wedding celebrations.
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