Curanto is a well-recognized food item from the regions of Chiloe Archipelago. It was later spread to multiple regions of Argentina and Chile.

Main ingredients

• Potato
• Vegetables
• Seafood
• Meat

Nutritional value

• Carbohydrates – One serving of Curanto contains 19 g of carbohydrates obtained from meat and potato.

• Proteins – One serving of Curanto contains 39 g of protein obtained from meat and seafood.

• Fat – The seafood in Curanto offers nearly 19 g of saturated fat in one serving.

They also contain vitamins, magnesium, and sodium.

History

Curanto is prepared by placing the ingredients in a hole and then closed with stones. Then a bonfire is placed on top of it for heating, and they are removed after an hour. All food items are well covered before being placed within the hole. This technique was initially followed in the countryside. With the expansion and several other arrivals, new ingredients were added to the food item. Later it became the current Curanto.

How to serve them?

The Curanto is mostly consumed alone without any sauce. However, they can be served with vegetable dressing to provide a sense of freshness to your palette. They are a part of the main course dish and best for lunches.

Variants

While clams are the most commonly used seafood, there are variants accompanied by barnacles and mussels. Each layer of the food is covered with rhubarb, fig leaves, and grass chunks to provide a pressure cooker-like effect. The current Curanto dishes are cooked in a stew pot and pressure cooker. They are available in multiple variations by using different ingredients of seafood. This dish is similar to the Clambake from England and Hangi from New Zealand.

Read more on https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/curanto-clambake-chile