La Guajira department in Colombia feature some of the most interesting dishes you can find in the country. La Guajira borders the Caribbean Sea and stands out for its rich gastronomy, which combines local flavors with seafood.
Five typical dishes from La Guajira
Friche
Friche is a traditional Wayuu dish in La Guajira, whose main ingredient is goat. It is common for the Wayuu community to welcome their visitors with a plate of friche, prepared with goat meat, oil, salt, and the animal’s innards. It is usually served with coconut rice.
Iguana stewed with coconut
Iguana is a key ingredient in several recipes from the department of La Guajira, due to the abundance of this species in the region. One of the most emblematic dishes is iguana stewed with coconut. To prepare it, the iguana is cleaned and its innards removed. It is then cooked for 30 minutes until the skin can be easily removed. The meat is shredded, and a stew is made with bell peppers, onions, sweet peppers, and coconut milk. Finally, the iguana meat is mixed with the stew and cooked over a low heat until a thick sauce forms.
Stewed goat (chivo guisado)
Stewed goat is one of the most representative dishes of the department. To prepare it, the goat is marinated with oil, onions, garlic, chili, tomatoes, tomato paste, mustard, vinegar, cumin, allspice, salt, and ground pepper. Then, it is fried in a large pot and cooked until tender. The goat is served with coconut rice or bean rice and salad.
Shrimp rice (arroz con camaron)
The ingredients for this dish are shrimp, mixed vegetables, tomato paste, oil, scallions, tomatoes, cilantro, salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. To prepare it, the shrimp are cleaned beforehand, then boiled with salt to taste. Scallion, garlic paste, oil, rice, and salt to taste are combined in a pot along with the water in which the shrimp were cooked. In a separate pan, a bit of oil is used for the stew, along with scallions, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Once the base has thickened slightly, the shrimp are added. Finally, all the ingredients are mixed together.
Shark salpicon (salpicon de tiburon)
Shark salpicon is prepared by cooking the shark meat, which is then shredded and squeezed to form a kind of soup. Chopped cilantro and carrot are added, and then all the ingredients are mixed together with oil to make a sauce. It is served with rice or saltine crackers.
