In Latin America Peru there is a unique local cuisine, grilled guinea pigs. The first time I heard about this dish in the local area, it was really surprising. Especially in China, rats give the impression of being a bit uncomfortable and carry possible bacteria on their bodies. It is definitely not associated with food.
However, roasted guinea pig is a local dish in Cusco, Peru's second largest city. This is a common folk dish in the Andes and is now a delicacy that attracts the attention of tourists.
I tasted the dish at PACHAPAPAPA, a well-known local restaurant. And the whole baking process can be visited. Guinea pig (scientific name: Cavia porcellus), also known as guinea pigs, sunflower rats, etc., guinea pigs of the guinea pig family, and we usually see cats in China to catch mice is not the same, although they are rats but completely different, the current wild guinea pigs have been basically extinct, guinea pigs in South America are domesticated.
In 5000 BC, the indigenous tribes of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia in the Andes region of South America began breeding and domesticating guinea pigs as a food source. So today, after a long time, guinea pigs have become edible ingredients.
Later, after the Western colonists, Spanish, Dutch and British merchants, arrived in South America and brought the local guinea pigs back to Europe, guinea pigs quickly became the fashionable pets of European high society and royal families, and even Queen Elizabeth of Britain raised guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs' food sources are mainly green plants, mainly weeds (dried Timothy grass / alfalfa grass / oat grass / barley grass / wheat grass, etc.) as the main food, like to eat green peppers, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and other fresh fruits and vegetables.
The local guinea pig is made basically using an oven, which is the same as the one that bakes pizza. Then use local spices (rosemary, etc.) for marinating, the texture of the roasted guinea pig meat, the legs are more elastic, unlike the usual poultry, meat; The body part carries a small amount of fat, and the meat texture is a bit like a chicken breast, but it is not as old as the chicken breast. In fact, guinea pigs, there is not a lot of meat, but in the end they are not eaten. Perhaps as a Chinese, the guinea pig we know, after all, is used as a pet, and it is used as a food, or a little.
The way to eat, this dish is best not to use a knife and fork, to eat by hand. It's a bit like we eat Cantonese roast pigeons. Finish with Peruvian red wine. A good attempt indeed.