Harina Tostada, Charqui, Merkén, & Cancha

I'm flying out of Chile and returning to the United States in just under two weeks and starting to feel a bit sentimental. When browsing through my pantry the other day, it occurred to me that the amount of Chilean foods I'll be able to bring back home is very limited. (due to luggage space, customs, or both)

Here's a sampling of the treats I've been enjoying lately:

Harina Tostada

Literally "toasted wheat," harina tostada is similar to Cream of Wheat in the U.S. It's usually eaten for breakfast with boiling water or milk and some sugar. I personally like to mix it with oatmeal and a banana.

Charqui

Beef jerky (charqui phonetically sounds like "jerky")- usually comes from horse meat and can be found in the central Mercado's of most towns. Charqui is a bit too chewy and gummy for my likes, but I enjoy it once in a while.

Merkén

Traditional Mapuche spice made from roasted ají, or peppers.

Cancha

More characteristic of Peru but also popular in Northern Chile, cancha is toasted corn. I like to think of it as a cross between Corn Nuts and traditional popcorn. While the outside is crispy and salty, the inside is fluffy.

Yucca

Okay, this one is definitely Peruvian, but I couldn't help but include it. Peruvian restaurants in Chile serve yucca fried with a delicious garlic-based cream sauce (think french-fries and ketchup).