Widely available in Peru, the Maca vegetable has a multitude of uses. Ruth Holmes introduces us to her latest discovery.

I HAVE just returned from a trip to Peru, and once I had completed walking the Inca trail I had time to peruse the food markets. As always, I’m interested in the culture.

There are traditional foods and herbal medicine which are still the mainstream method for treating illness or keeping well, and a variety of freshly cut produce, piles of wheat grass for feeding their animals and every sort of fruit that I could imagine.

I thought that I would write about the Maca vegetable which has been traditionally used there since ancient times, and now is a valuable produce in demand for export. Next month, I will write about the herb/plant that they use to help with the effects of altitude, this may be useful for anyone who is planning a trip like this, which I found to be incredibly beautiful adventure.

Maca powder is easily available here now and has been for the last few years. It is a root crop that grows in the Andes in Peru. It is mainly organically grown as is almost everything in Peru, as Maca grows at this elevated level, above sea level where other crops, weeds, pests etc cannot survive. Weeding and pesticide application are not necessary, and fertilisation is traditional, being mainly from the Llama and sheep manure, whilst cultivation is still strictly linked to seasonality.

The growth habit and size are similar to turnips, to which it is related to its root rather than being tapered, so forms a pear shape which is bulbous. When cut, the powdered colour is usually cream, these are sweeter to taste and generally grown more, whilst the darker varieties can be purple, red and black. These will contain higher levels of iodine, and the black variety is regarded as having the ultimate levels for energy production and stamina.

The nutritional value of dried Maca is high, similar to cereal grains such as wheat and rice in regards to its carbohydrate, fat and fibre values. However, it has a much higher protein content, which is essential for all energy production.

While being a rich source of dietary minerals, calcium, and potassium and also being low in sodium, it has such value, and also there are trace elements iron, iodine, copper, selenium, manganese and zinc, and essential fatty acids and amino acids.

Many different alkamides are found in Maca; suffice to say that these are crucial for our nervous system.

In Peru, Maca has traditionally been used on a daily basis over the centuries as a staple, often traded for quinoa, rice and papaya, and even used as a form of payment of Spanish imperial taxes. It is cited that Maca was eaten by Inca imperial warriors before battles.

This can be prepared in various ways but usually cooked, either by roasting which is regarded as a delicacy, or can be mashed and boiled to produce a sweet, thick liquid, then dried and mixed into milk to form a porridge. Our cook made this for us every morning, mixing it with some quinoa for extra protein and energy, this helped with the beginning of each hard trek, as the mountain air was extremely cold, and it was very early. Towards the later morning the temperature always became warmer or even hot later on in the day.

The Peruvians produce flour from this and bake breads, cakes and pancakes, which we also ate later during the day. I do not know how our cook with a couple of pans and being up in the mountains managed to make all these things and more – even a birthday cake was produced at 6 o’clock one morning.

A weak beer called chichi de Maca can be produced if Maca is fermented – this is very popular in the culture. I was walking passed the local workers in the day cultivating these crops still by hand and they were often stopping for a drink of this mixture when their energy was starting to flag.

The prominent product for export is Maca powder, mainly the pale cream coloured variety, which can purchased here easily.

This is not raw but has undergone gelatinization, meaning that the powder has gone through a process using gentle heat and pressure. The nutritional value is still present that way, but a lot of the tough fibre would have been removed as it is very difficult to digest.