Ingredient appreciation — what makes Tucumanas special

What sets Tucumanas apart is the handling of llajua chilli salsa. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the hearty and filling result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Bolivia preserves some of the most ancient Andean food traditions including chuño freeze-drying which dates to pre-Inca times. The an indigenous community festival feast atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had api maize drink warm as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Tucumanas is the place to start.