Sarza de sencca is a starter from Arequipa’s picanterías made with sencca —beef snout— boiled, cut into strips, and dressed with vinegar, onion, tomato, and herbs.
It’s a specialty of the Sachaca district, where dozens of picanterías serve it.
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Peruvian Zarza de Sencca
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
Peruvian preparation featuring sencca cocida y cebolla, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.
Ingredients
- 300 g sencca (beef snout or cheek)
- 1 red onion
- 1 tomato
- Chopped parsley
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped rocoto, to taste
- 100 g cooked fava beans
- Vinegar, to taste
- Vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 boiled potatoes
Preparation
- Cook the sencca, boil it in water only for about 2 hours, until tender but still whole, without falling apart; let it cool and cut it into small strips.
- Season, in a bowl, mix the sencca with the vinegar, salt, pepper, and a splash of oil, stirring vigorously so the seasoning clings; watch the salt.
- Assemble the sarza, slice the onion thinly and cut the peeled tomato into strips; add them to the sencca with the rocoto, parsley, cilantro, and fava beans. Let rest a moment, stir, and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve, serve the sarza with the boiled potatoes.
Tips
- The sencca should be tender but firm: overcooked, it falls apart.
- Watch the salt: it’s a sarza, not a ceviche.
- Stir vigorously when dressing so the flavor clings to the meat.
Traditional variations
- Chopped rocoto is optional, depending on how spicy you like it.
How to serve
Serve the sarza fresh, just dressed, with boiled potatoes.
Recommended pairings
- Boiled potato
- Chicha de jora
Did you know?
«Sencca» comes from the Quechua senq’a, «nose»: the cut is the beef snout.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's beef snout or cheek; its name comes from the Quechua senq'a, «nose».
About 2 hours, in water only, until tender but not falling apart.
With boiled potatoes, as a picantería starter.
