What is Huacatay good for?

Huacatay is a source of valuable antioxidants and has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and carminative properties. Additionally, Huacatay tea as well as the oil are believed to be effective for treating stomach pains and infections with intestinal parasites such as ascarids and hookworms.

What can I substitute for Huacatay?

Huacatay Substitutes

• Cilantro. The taste of cilantro is similar to Huacatay because of its herbaceous nature and citrus flavor.
• Muna. Muna belongs to the Laminacee family and it is an aromatic plant.
• Epazote. It is a sweet-smelling herb popular for its cooking and medicinal properties.
• Lemon Verbena.

What is Huacatay sauce made of?

This Peruvian staple condiment is an herb paste made of black mint, a native plant related to the marigold family, with long thin leaves that have jagged edges. This herb is made into a paste with some salt and citric acid as preservatives and is usually bought in jars.

What is black mint paste used for?

Black Mint Sauce is a spiced mint sauce made in Peru from black mint (aka Huacatay Mint.) It is used as a condiment in cooking with meat, poultry, soups and salads.

Can you eat Huacatay?

If you’re looking to use this herb in its plain leaf form, you can use them dry to season dishes such as soups or stews. As you can see, this herb is not only very popular in Peruvian cuisine. It’s actually essential for some of the most iconic dishes. Don’t think twice when it comes to try out Huacatay.

How do you care for a Huacatay?

Sow every 2-4″, 1/8-1/4″ deep, and thin to 12-24″ per plant. Water regularly until germination. This plant is resistent to deer, groundhogs, and insect pests, so can be grown as a perimeter plant outside of your fences. It will grow much taller with irrigation, but does great without irrigation as well.

What is Huacatay herb?

Huacatay is a popular herb used in Peruvian dishes, -mostly in the Andes-, that imparts its characteristic flavor to many soups and stews. Of the mint family, huacatay is also called “black mint”, and just like mint, it has a very pungent aroma and flavor, so it´s wise to use sparingly.

What are the sauces at Viva chicken?

They include: Aji Amarillo (Mild, Yellow) — sweet on the front end, with a mild spice on the back end. Huacatay (Medium, Green) — a mixture of Peruvian black mint, jalapenos and fresh cilantro. Rocoto (Hot, Red) — Creamy with a distinctive flavor and delayed kick, it’s made from Rocoto, ne of Peru’s hottest peppers.

What is the yellow sauce at Chicken Rico?

Ají Amarillo (sweet yellow chili pepper) is one of the most important ingredients in Peruvian cooking. It has a unique, fresh, and fruity flavour that is pleasant even to people unaccustomed to spicy ingredients.

What can I do with black mint?

Black Peruvian mint is used as a condiment in stews, soups and Peruvian ajis. It can be used to make herb marinades for poultry, lamb and seafood. Black Peruvian mint’s cool clean quality is especially useful in chilled desserts that demand a sharp effervescent quality.

What kind of flavor does huacatay Mint have?

Huacatay flavor profile. Huacatay’s flavor is more pungent than you would find in most other plants that are given the mint name. The flavor profile is similar to a blend of basil, spearmint, and citrus but there are notes of tarragon in it as well.

What kind of food does a huacatay plant make?

Huacatay is a Marigold that stands taller than me or you with very very small pale yellow flowers. The leaves are called “Black Mint”. Peruvians use this herb to make a green sauce called Black Mint Paste, which is an essential ingredient in the Potato, Aji Amarillo, Peanut, Cheese, and Egg dish called Ocopa.

What kind of sauce does huacatay come in?

One of the popular uses for huacatay is in the potato dish known as ocopa where it is used to make the ocopa sauce. It is a smooth sauce that features huacatay as the main ingredient. In addition, it has a supporting cast that includes peanuts and aji chile peppers.

Where does the name huacatay come from in Peru?

The huacatay name comes from the Quechua language. In English, it is sometimes called Peruvian black mint and menta negra or zuico in some parts of South America. While this herb is primarily associated with Peruvian cooking, you can find it in use all over South America.