Known in Lima as sancochado, in Cusco as timpu and in Arequipa as puchero, this hearty soup was already prepared in pre-Hispanic times and later influenced by the Madrilenian cuisine that came to Peru with Spanish immigrants.
While in the past around 10 different meats were used to prepare the original sancochado, today normally only one or two find their way into the pot.
The meat is cooked together with a wide variety of mostly local vegetables. Depending on the region and chef these can include potatoes, camote, choclo, yuca, leeks, pumpkin, carrots, beans or cabbage.
The special thing about sancochado: once the meats and vegetables are perfectly cooked they are served separately from the stock and accompanied by several typical Peruvian salsas allowing the eater to create their own little variations of this popular soup with every bite.