Chairo Base (Bolivian/Andean Lamb-Potato Broth)

A hearty broth built from lamb, freeze-dried potato (chuño, a traditional high-altitude preservation technique dating to pre-Columbian times), fresh potato, and vegetables.

Flavor Profile

Earthy and savory, with chuño contributing a distinct, slightly fermented depth not found in broths using only fresh potato.

Culinary Uses

Base and finished form of chairo, a foundational dish of Andean highland cuisine particularly associated with La Paz.

Regional Variations

Peruvian highland regions have closely related dishes using chuño with some variation in meat and vegetable choice.

Storage

Refrigerate 3–4 days; freezes well.

Chuño (freeze-dried potato, made by exploiting the Andean altiplano's freeze-thaw cycles) is one of the oldest documented food preservation techniques in the Americas, predating European contact.