Papa seca

Papa seca translates from Spanish to "dried potato", and it refers to a traditional Andean preservation method for potatoes. The process involves boiling, draining, peeling, cutting into small pieces and cooking the potatoes, after which they are exposed to the strong daytime sun of the high-altitude Andes mountains, but not necessarily to the freeze-thaw cycle typical for the similar product, chuño (the other significant difference being that chuño doesn't get cut into small pieces).

This drying method naturally dehydrates the potatoes and turning them into small chrystal-like pieces, allowing them to be stored for long periods without spoiling. Before cooking, they are usually rehydrated by soaking in water. Papa seca is used in various traditional Peruvian dishes, one of the most famous being carapulcra, a stew made with the rehydrated potatoes, pork, peanuts, and various spices.