Friends, this post was first published in January of 2020.
Cuy Chaqtado
Fried Guinea Pig (Ayacucho-style)
Guinea Pig is an Ecuadorian delicacy. It is taboo in other parts of the world. Seven out of seven Downings enjoy a well prepared Cuy.
Ingredients:
1 guinea pig, de-haired, gutted, and cleaned
1/2 c. flour
1/4 – 1/2 t. ground cumin
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 c. oil
Instructions:
First: Pat dry the skin of the guinea pig and rub in the cumin, salt, and pepper.
Then: Preheat oil.
After that: Dust the carcass with the flour and place it on its back in the oil make sure to turn it and cook both sides.
Alternately, the guinea pig can be cut and fried in quarters instead of whole.
Serve with boiled potato or fried yuca, and a salad of cut tomatoes and slivered onions bathed in lime juice and a bit of salt.
We enjoy experiencing Ecuador one bite at a time! Click here to read about what we do when we are not eating.
Blessings,
The Downing Family
Very good, love Esperanza’s input. 😊
Thank you! She loved contributing in front of the microphone.
I would say it would taste like squirrel, like your dad said. Don’t know for sure but it’s probelly from the same family as a squirrel. Or maybe a ground hog. Nothing any better with fried potatoes and homemade biscuits and squirrel gray.
Absolutely, it tends to be tougher than squirrel but it has a similar taste.