Bandeja paisa, also known as bandeja de arriero, bandeja montanera and bandeja antioquena, is Colombia's national dish since 2005, a heavy, caloric meal traditionally served on a big, oval platter and intended to be eaten for lunch.
Originally, the platter provided nutrition and energy to the farmers to keep them going for the whole day and there are a total of 13 ingredients used in the dish, including golden-fried chorizo sausages with lime, hogau sauce, cooked white rice, ground beef, plantain, arepa (a thin, fried corn cake), avocado, stewed red beans, fried pork belly, and a fried egg on top of it all.
This behemoth of a dish is traditionally accompanied by a mazamorra – a milk-based drink that is served chilled and features smashed maize. Bandeja paisa is actually one of the highest protein-packed dishes on Earth and is especially popular in the Paisa region departments of Antioquia and a part of Valle del Cauca in Colombia.
Hogao is a traditional sauce that is commonly used as a seasoning, dipping sauce, or topping. The savory combination of tomatoes, scallions, coriander, garlic, cumin, ... Read more