Black Chuño

Black chuño is a traditional Andean freeze-dried potato, dark and pebble-like with a firm, dry interior. It cooks to a dense, chewy texture with an earthy, faintly bitter edge and readily absorbs broths and spices; cooks often soak to rehydrate, then simmer in soups and stews or grind into flour, and it is sold as whole dried potatoes.

Originating on the high-altitude Altiplano of Bolivia and Peru, black chuño is made through repeated freeze-thaw cycles, trampling, and sun-drying that preserve potatoes for long storage. It remains a staple in Andean cuisines, appearing in dishes such as chairo and carapulcra and in regional markets across the Andes.