Tours and Activities:

Chilote Curanto

This dish reflects the essence of the fishing families who have always lived in the region, turning the sea´s fresh ingredients into their greatest legacy.

Chiloé Island and its people are well known for their cuisine. Prepared in a hole, curanto is extremely popular with visitors due to the delicious combination of its ingredients and the fact that it is cooked before their very eyes. We found a place in Ancud where it is made in the traditional island way.

We drove out to Quetalmahue to meet the people who would treat us to this long-standing dish. It is home to artisanal fishermen and seaweed gatherers who also prepare a variety of rich and tasty dishes. We decided to arrive well before lunchtime to witness the entire process, from preparing the pit to serving the meal.

We introduced ourselves to our hosts, who led us to the place where this much-awaited dish was about to be cooked. during a ritual, we gathered round the hole and listened intently.

Originally, the Mapuche, both in southern Chile and Argentina, cooked the ingredients underground for several hours. A hole is dug, and big hot stones are placed at the bottom. Assorted seafood (blue mussels, razor clams, sea urchins, picorocos, a local type of barnacle, crabs, oysters, and other shellfish) is placed directly on the stones. Then the spiced meat is added (chicken, pork, beef, and smoked meat). Next comes a layer of vegetables, potatoes, chapaleles and milcaos, pancakes and lings made of potato and wheat flour, covered by giant rhubarb leaves. The food is steamed due to the heat radiated by the stones.

We waited for the set time to open the pit, about two hours. The cooks removed the layers of earth used as a cover, followed by the nalca leaves in this case. A gentle aroma filled the air as they gradually took out the shellfish, meats, and side dishes, while the lead cook proudly explained how this traditional dish had been prepared.

It was served with pebre, a traditional Chilean sauce made with green onions, red chili pepper, parsley, cilantro, salt, and water, along with typical local drinks such as wineapple chicha (a specialty of Chiloé). The serving was done calmly and deliberately, honoring the slow and careful way in which the dish had been cooked.

During the after-meal conversation, we learned about other culinary treasures they prepared, as well as their handcrafted works in stone and wood. They struck us as very warm people, and we thanked them for that delicacy that had been unknown to us until then. They showed us that curanto is not just a dish to enjoy, but a true social ritual in which everyone, even visitors, can take part.

Before returning to Ancud, we enjoyed a peaceful rest on the wide nearby beaches. With the same unhurried pace as the preparation of curanto al hoyo, we returned feeling fulfilled for having discovered such a delicious culinary specialty and having shared in a tradition as warm as the region itself.

See also: Hotels in Ancud and other accommodation venues