Christmas In Bolivia: Heartwarming Traditional Soup Delights

Christmas in Bolivia is a time of celebration and unique traditions. The soup that is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve is called Picana, a hearty dish with several kinds of meat and vegetables. It is a slow-cooked stew, with variations across the country, but always featuring a mix of meats, vegetables, and even beer or wine.

What is Bolivian Picana?

Bolivian Picana is a traditional soup eaten on Christmas Eve in Bolivia. It is a slow-cooked stew with a variety of meats, vegetables, and even beer or wine. The soup is rich in ingredients, and different regions in Bolivia have slightly different recipes. For example, in the altiplano, a high plateau with dry and cold weather, lamb, tunta or chuño (two types of dehydrated potato), and sometimes raisins are used.

Bolivian Picana typically includes chicken, beef, and pork, as well as vegetables such as potatoes, corn, carrots, and turnips. The soup is seasoned with beer, red or white wine, or cider, and green chilli, which is usually burned in the fire to add a smoky flavour.

Preparing Bolivian Picana takes time as some of the ingredients need to be cooked separately. The beef and chicken are typically cooked first, followed by the vegetables, which are sauteed. The meats are then added to the vegetables, along with seasonings, and the soup is allowed to cook for about an hour. Finally, beer and wine are added, and the soup is cooked for a further half an hour to let the alcohol evaporate and the flavours meld together.

Bolivian Picana is a hearty and nourishing dish, often served with a cold refresco (a drink made from seasonal fruit), roast pork or beef, fruit, and a salad. It is a popular dish for Christmas Eve dinner in Bolivia, and any leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed the next day for Christmas lunch.

What is the soup made of?

The soup that's eaten in Bolivia during Christmas is called Picana, and it is a slow-cooked soup with a variety of meats, vegetables, and even beer or wine. The soup is rich with ingredients, and its preparation is time-consuming. The recipe for this soup differs across regions in Bolivia, but it is a hearty meal that is perfect for Christmas Eve dinner.

Picana is made with several kinds of meat, including lamb, beef, and chicken. It is common to use multiple types of meat, and some recipes even call for four different types, with pork being another option. The beef cuts used are typically peceto or káwi (brisket) as they are ideal for cooking for a long time. The meat is cut into small pieces to add more body to the soup.

For vegetables, Picana uses potatoes, corn, carrots, and turnips. In the altiplano region, where the weather is dry and cold, the soup may also include lamb, tunta or chuño (dehydrated potatoes), and sometimes even raisins. The potatoes used in this soup are a special type called Tunta or white chuño, which are freeze-dried potatoes unique to the Andean region of Latin America. These potatoes go through a natural freeze-drying process due to the high altitudes, where freezing temperatures at night and warmer temperatures during the day allow for dehydration.

The soup is seasoned with spices like cumin and oregano, and its flavour is enhanced with either beer, red or white wine, or cider. Green chilli is also added, usually burned in the fire, which gives the soup a smoky spiciness.

Picana is a flexible dish that can be adapted to the availability of produce and personal preferences. It is a generous dish that can serve many guests and is often enjoyed the next day as well, as the flavours develop and intensify.

What is the soup served with?

Picana, the soup eaten in Bolivia during Christmas, is served with a variety of other dishes. It is usually accompanied by a salad, seasonal fruits, and roast beef or pork. The soup is also sometimes served with a cold drink called refresco, which is made of seasonal fruit and prepared in large batches.

On Christmas morning, Bolivians often eat fried buñuelos (sweetbread) with hot chocolate.

The soup itself is made with several kinds of meat, including lamb, beef, and chicken, and vegetables like squash, potatoes, corn, carrots, and turnips. It is seasoned with beer, red or white wine, cider, and green chilli.

What do Bolivians do on Christmas Eve?

Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena, in Bolivia is a time for family, food, and celebration. The most important time of the Christmas season, it is filled with unique traditions and rituals.

Many Bolivians attend a midnight mass called the Misa del Gallo, or "Mass of the Rooster", returning home as the roosters are awakening. It is customary to bring two offerings to this mass: a small baby Jesus figurine and something that represents one's profession, such as a loaf of bread for a baker or a pair of shoes for a cobbler.

After the mass, families gather to enjoy a traditional Bolivian dinner. The main dish is often picana, a hearty soup made with various meats, including lamb, beef, and chicken, and vegetables like potatoes, corn, carrots, and squash. The soup is usually accompanied by a cold drink, salad, fruit, and roast beef or pork.

The recipe for picana varies across regions and families, with some using wine or beer to enhance the flavour and others adding dehydrated potatoes or raisins. It is a time-consuming dish that requires slow cooking and preparation, but it is worth the effort for the rich and delicious result.

Following the Christmas Eve feast, Bolivians continue the festivities with dancing and singing Christmas carols, or villancicos, around nativity scenes until dawn.

Christmas Eve in Bolivia is a joyous and festive occasion, with families coming together to share a special meal, exchange gifts, and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

What is the significance of the soup?

Picana, the soup eaten in Bolivia during Christmas, is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it is a traditional dish that brings families together on Christmas Eve, which is the most important day of the Christmas season in Bolivia. The act of sharing this hearty and nourishing soup reflects the spirit of community and celebration that is integral to Bolivian culture.

Secondly, Picana is a versatile dish that can be adapted to the availability of ingredients and regional preferences. While the soup typically includes meats like lamb, beef, and chicken, and vegetables like potatoes, corn, carrots, and squash, each region and even each family may have their own unique variations. This adaptability ensures that Picana can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, bringing them together in a celebration of culinary diversity.

Additionally, Picana holds significance as it is often served alongside other traditional dishes and drinks, contributing to the overall festive atmosphere. It is commonly accompanied by salad, fruit, and roast beef or pork. The drink of choice is often a cold refresco, a seasonal fruit drink prepared in large batches. The combination of Picana with these complementary dishes and drinks creates a holistic culinary experience that embodies the joy and abundance of the Christmas celebration.

Moreover, Picana is not just enjoyed on Christmas Eve but is also savoured the next day as recalentado or k'onichi. This tradition of reheating and relishing the soup the following day extends the festive spirit and allows families to continue the celebration, savouring the flavours that have intensified and developed over time.

Lastly, the inclusion of specific ingredients in Picana holds symbolic value. For example, the use of Tunta or white chuño, which is a freeze-dried potato native to the Andean region, adds a unique local touch to the soup. This ingredient undergoes a natural freeze-drying process in the high altitudes, where freezing nights and warmer days facilitate dehydration. The use of Tunta or chuño showcases the incorporation of indigenous ingredients and techniques into Bolivian Christmas cuisine, creating a fusion of cultural influences.

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