Market Grill · Fried Guinea Pig
Cuy Chactado (Flattened Fried Guinea Pig)
Photo: Jorge Gobbi / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
The guinea pig is flattened under a heavy stone while frying — "chactado" literally means "pressed" — which is what gives its skin an unusually crackling texture.
A whole guinea pig is split open, seasoned and deep-fried while pinned flat under a stone or heavy pan, producing crisp golden skin. Arequipa's picanterías serve it whole with boiled potatoes and an onion salad.
Why it's made this way: Guinea pig has been eaten in the Andes since long before the Inca, and the chactado frying method is a signature of Arequipa, whose picanterías are famous for it.
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Part of World of Street Food — 3443 dishes from 118 countries.
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