Peru has a long and rich culinary history featuring bold flavors, but many people are not familiar with Peruvian cuisine. This is slowly changing as more and more Peruvian restaurants open across the world. If you're visiting a Peruvian restaurant for the first time, consider trying the following dishes that the country is known for:

Ceviche

Many people consider ceviche the national dish of Peru, and they have mastered the art of "cold" cooking fish. Peruvian ceviche is very simple and is made with just seabass marinated in lime juice, hot chiles, onions, and salt. Ceviche is often served with sweet potatoes and boiled corn. Dry roasted corn kernels may be sprinkled on the plate to add some crunch to the dish.

Lomo Saltado (Stir Fried Beef)

Another incredibly popular Peruvian dish, lomo saltado consists of soy-marinated beef strips that are stir fried with tomatoes, chiles, onions, and spices. The beef is juicy and tender, and the cooked down tomatoes, chiles, onions, and spices create a very flavorable sauce. Traditionally, lomo saltado is served with rice and french fries.

Aji de Gallina

Peruvians are big fans of thick sauces, and aji de gallina features shredded chicken covered in a sauce made from cream, walnuts, cheese, an aji amarillo peppers. This creamy dish is Peruvian comfort food and is usually served with rice and boiled potatoes. If you order this dish in a restaurant, it will most likely be garnished with black olives and slices of hard boiled eggs.

Papas a la Huancaina (Potatoes with a Spicy Cheese Sauce)

Peruvian cuisine is known for its use of potatoes, and papas a la huancaina is a dish that highlights Peru's love of this starch. Boiled potatoes are very mild in flavor, but what makes this dish is the spicy cheese sauce made with queso fresco, lime juice, garlic, evaporated milk, aji amarillo peppers, and saltine crackers. The result is a complex sauce with a little bit of heat. Slices of hard boiled eggs are often served with a plate of papas a la Huancaina.

Rocoto Relleno (Stuffed Hot Peppers)

Rocoto Relleno is a popular dish that features red aji rocoto chiles that are stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, garlic, spices, rasins, and olives. After the hot pepper is stuffed it is topped with queso fesco and baked in a sauce made of milk and eggs. Aji rocoto chiles are very spicy, so the first bite can be a shock to your senses. But the heat of the dish is balanced by the sweet and savory filling inside the pepper. 

For more information, contact companies like Inka Grill.