It doesn’t help that ajiaco is a pain in the butt to make: a good ajiaco bogotano apparently requires at least four or five hours of cooking time, which doesn’t exactly encourage restaurants to put the stuff on the menu. Traditionally, ajiaco is served with capers, cream, and avocado on the side. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. All potatoes originated in the Andes, and Colombia has quite a selection of them, the best being the small, yellow, creamy, buttery papas Criollas.They're eaten deep fried, salt roasted, boiled, or—my wife's favorite method—cooked into ajiaco, a classic chicken and potato soup from the mountains around Bogotá.. It’s also a great experience to see how it’s made. I’ve been actively searching for a good ajiaco … Add the cumin, coriander and cook for 2 minutes. It was a blustery winter night and she served a huge clay pot of Ajiaco, a traditional Colombian chicken soup. Considered a poor man's dish in the past, Ajiaco must include three varieties of potatoes cooked together, abundant and inexpensive in Colombia. Like most comfort foods, its roots come from the country and poverty-stricken areas, traditionally made with an assortment of root vegetables and animal odds and ends. Some people like to eat it with additional sides like rice, plantain, yuca (cassava root), or even banana. Additionally, ajiaco soup is really easy to make in any kitchen. This thick soup is made with potatoes, shredded chicken, sweet corn, green onion, cilantro, and the local mountain herb called guascas. This dish is really appealing because it’s served in traditional clay bowls. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and skim any foam or impurities from the top. Ajiaco is seasoned with a Colombian herb called guascas and is traditionally served with slices of avocado, capers, and mild sour cream. Ajiaco is a mash-up recipe made with a little bit of everything. In a 5-quart pot, combine the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 8 cups water to cover. Our 5-hour Food and Cooking Tour in Bogotá teaches you how to prepare Ajiaco, and it all starts with a trip to a traditional Colombian market to pick out the fresh ingredients. Indeed, there was one flourish: an herb called guascas that imparts a deep grassy flavor essential to an authentic bowl of Ajiaco. It basically consists of a broth or soup with chicken and a bunch of different vegetables. Ajiaco, ready to serve with white rice and fresh avocado Finally, once the potatoes and corn are cooked, you can pour some of the soup into bowls, add a healthy handful of the shredded chicken, and top it off with a drizzel of heavy cream. There was something different about this soup, so I asked if there was a secret ingredient. Saute onion, garlic for 5 minutes. Ajiaco is the national dish of Colombia, a flavorful chicken and potato soup with the addition of herbs and corn. 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