A - Asado

Asado can be found across Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil, but it is most commonly tied to Chile and Argentina. More than just a barbecue, it is an excuse for a social gathering. An Asado usually consists of pork, beef, chicken and even blood sausage. However, like other barbecue or braai offerings around the world, it doesn’t use any additives. Just salt and an open fire or grill (called a parilla), all taken care of by a dedicated asador or parrillero. Serve it all up with some chimichurri, some friends and you are in for a good time.

Honorary mention: Alfajores (a delicious dulce de leche filled cookie).

B - Bandeja Paisa

Who says the English own the breakfast? This dish is now thought to be the national dish of Colombia and is known for its generosity of portions. Bandeja means ‘platter’, which should give you an idea of the serving size. Once a humble worker’s meal, you will usually find on your platter some beans with pork, rice, ground meat, fried egg, plantain, avocado, black pudding, flatbread and even crackling.

C - Ceviche

A dish so well known that it is recognised by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Fish is marinated with citrus and seasonings, and often includes a local variety of chilli and onion. Whilst different countries have their variations, ceviche is known to be a Peruvian dish and even has a holiday in its honour!

Honorary mention: Coxinha (deep-fried parcels of chicken and cream cheese found in Brazil) and Choripan (Chorizo in a baguette).

D - Dulce de Leche

It couldn’t be anything else. Go anywhere in Argentina and you will find this on signs, in drinks, in dishes and just by itself. You often see it in alfajores, cakes and ice cream, although many just eat it straight as a sweet treat. It is often confused with caramel by visitors to Argentina, but there is a difference! Dulce de leche is made by the slow browning of milk and sugar, rather than the caramelisation of sugar in water. This means you get a mellow flavour without any bitterness.

E - Empanada

The classic anytime food, empanadas are fried or baked pastries stuffed with fillings and shaped like a little crescent moon. Coming from the Spanish word for breaded (’empanar’), these delicious tidbits are great fast food options and have developed regional specialities. You can find them filled with beef, potatoes, ham, cheese, seafood and more. There are even sweet options!

F - Feijoada

A hearty black bean stew from Brazil, Feijoada has similar historical roots to a French cassoulet. Thought to be the national dish of Brazil, it is filled with beans, beef and pork and served alongside kale, rice and farofa (a toasted cassava flour). With Brazil being so large, different regions will have different variations. It is often tied into social events like football, or served on particular days of the week.

G - Guinea Pig (cuy)

Guinea Pig, known locally as ‘cuy’, is commonly eaten in countries like Peru and Bolivia but can be a strange one for tourists to fathom. Ignoring our own similar food choices (like rabbit or chicken, which it resembles flavour-wise), the choice to domesticate guinea pigs for consumption makes a lot of sense. The altitude of these countries limits larger grazing animals, and guinea pigs reproduce quickly and require less room to live, even living alongside humans in houses. As a result, they are a more profitable source of income than pigs or cattle. Cuy can be bony, so whilst it can be served whole it is often used as filling for food like ravioli or served with potatoes.

H - Humita

Humita is a traditional South American dish, eaten throughout a few countries in the southern regions. In this dish, corn kernels are grated or ground and then placed inside the corn husk, which is then steamed or boiled. Cheese or onion and basil are sometimes added, and the modern twists on the dish can forgo the corn husks entirely and use a pot.

I - Impossible to find a food for I. Let us know if you think of one.

J - Jibarito

A Jibarito is a spin on a Venezuelan patacone and is a sandwich, often consisting of a meat and salad filling, but with fried plantains in place instead of bread. This is brushed with an aioli and served up as a tasty lunch treat.

K - Kuchen

Kuchen is a name covering cakes and pastries, often served with a drink. If Kuchen sounds like something Germans should be eating, you aren’t far off. Kuchen is the German word for ‘cake’ and it was introduced into Chile when German immigrants arrived in the 1800’s. Since then, Chile has adopted it as their own and added their own unique flavours, like apples, strawberries or a Chilean berry called ‘murtas’.

L - Locro

Locro is a thick and hearty stew, made from squash, corn, vegetables and usually some sort of meat as the vital core ingredients. However, from that base, there are regional variations, as this dish is now one of the national dishes of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. Each area incorporates local ingredients ranging from specific potato varieties to lamb entrails.

M - Moqueca Baiana

There is always a view of a country’s history through its food, and Moqueca Baiana is a great look at the heritage of Brazil. A Brazilian fish stew, Moqueca Baiana showcases the ingredients of the tropical region but with distinctly African flavours. It is a fusion of Indigenous, African and Portuguese flavours, and is similar to a Thai Red Curry, but milder and extremely flavoursome.

Honourable mention: Milanese (an Argentinean schnitzel dish) and Media Luna (meaning half moon, a small croissant-like dish made with egg and honey).

N - Ninos envuelto

Meaning ‘wrapped up children’, this dish is a simple meal of thin slices of beef wrapped around various fillings. This might be bread crumbs, cheese, mushrooms or more. It is then held together with toothpicks or string and cooked, often served with a cream or tomato sauce. Simple and easy, it was considered a commoner dish and allowed a meal of beef for those with limited means.

O - Olluquito con charqui

Olluquito con charqui is a distinctly Peruvian dish. It is made from ulluku, a local root vegetable that is widespread in the Andes, and then mixed with meat to make a stew-like dish. Olluquito con charqui is served with dried llama meat, but you can also get it ‘con carne’, meaning with meat like chicken or beef. ‘Charqui’ actually refers to the process of curing meat with salt and then drying it out, which is from where we get the English word ‘jerky’.

P - Pastel de Choclo

A meeting of two worlds, pastel de Choclo takes the meat stew from the Spanish conquerors and mixes it with the Indigenous corn. Think of it as a cottage pie but with corn (mixed with butter and basil) instead of potato on top. It is a comfort food in Chile and is one of the country's most popular dishes. But, be warned: If you ask for a pastel de choclo in Peru or Bolivia you’ll get a sweet corn cake.

Honourable mention: Patagonian Lamb (as you’d expect, but a famous regional dish) and Provoleta (a cheese cooked over coals until browned and bubbly).

Q - Quince cheese

Although locally known as Dulce le membrillo, we needed a Q. Also known as Quince paste, it is a thick and tart jelly from the pulp of the quince fruit and can be served with cheese. But, you can also roll it in sugar before serving for a crunchy and sweet surprise. Fun fact, the word ‘marmalade’ comes from the Portuguese ‘marmelada’, which because it was traditionally made with quince, literally meant ‘quince preparation’.

R - Rocoto relleno

Rocoto relleno are peppers stuffed with minced meat and topped with cheese before being baked. Typically found in Arequipa, Peru, the dish originated in Spain but with no sweet peppers available, rocoto peppers were substituted. Rocoto peppers are spicier than sweet peppers but the dish isn’t very spicy overall. Stuffings may vary, with almost anything able to be included, although putting a hard-boiled egg inside is a very popular option.

S - Salteñas

A Bolivian version of an empanada, the major difference is that these little footballs are filled with flavoursome stew. So, imagine the explosion of a dumpling in soup, but instead wrapped up in a sweet crust. The secret is a gelatin-based stew that is solid (so you can stuff the saltena) but then melts when it is baked. The name originates from a former first lady who, before marrying the Bolivian president, originated the recipe when her family was in extreme poverty. She came from Salta in Argentina, and whilst her name is since largely forgotten, the nickname for her snacks continues.

T - Tacaca

Tacaca is a wild dish, as though it was created by mad scientists. Made from ingredients like large shrimps, tucupi, hot yellow peppers and gloopy manioc starch as well as jambu. Tucupi is the juice from sour cassava that is boiled and then fermented to remove the high levels of cyanide inside. Meanwhile, Jambu is a vegetable native to the Amazon and has anaesthetic qualities that will leave your mouth numb. It is acidic, spicy and pungent and a hit to the senses. It’s eaten by sipping it from a gourd and using a small stick to fish out the solid ingredients.

U - Utterly stumped here.

V - Vori Vori

Vori vori is a thick and delicious soup with little balls made of cornflour and cheese. Traditionally from Paraguay, it's consumed at all social levels and will often feature chicken, grilled in its own fat, which is then added to the soup.

W - We couldn’t think of anything. Can you?

X - Xarem

You can find Xarem in northern Brazil. It is almost like a thick soup, or a runny porridge, and is made from coarsely ground corn kernels, and often fish or grilled meats. It may have ended up in Brazil via Portugal but originally from Nigeria.

Y - Yerba mate

The base ingredient of possibly the drink of Southern South America, yerba mate is used to make mate, although the terms are largely interchangeable colloquially. Mate contains caffeine and is used like coffee or tea, and drunk from a gourd through a bombilla (a metal straw). Travelling through South America you will see all sorts of paraphernalia associated with it, from a variety of gourds and bombillas to carrying bags and thermos for a travelling mate kit. Drinking mate is a social practice with friends and family members sharing the same cup and straw and passing it around.

Z - Zounds. Nothing here.

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