Preparation of pachamanka: nutritional, sensory and cultural values

The cultural richness of Ecuador is little known by its own inhabitants, the local cuisine has adopted foreign customs. This is the case of the pachamanka, an ancestral Andean cooking technique, which has fallen into disuse, representing a loss to the Otavalan cultural identity and its nutritional value that has not been explored. This traditional dish was made under the supervision of the Otavalango Museum in the province of Imbabura.The results highlight that a regular portion of pachamanka provides 25.5% of the daily energy requirements and 72.2% of the protein for a young adult, and it is a dish rich in protein, low in fat and medium in carbohydrates.The tasting established 100% acceptability of all organoleptic characters and it was concluded that it is a healthy cooking method similar to a mixture between baking and steaming. The revaluation of this ancestral dish is recommended to restore it to the tradition of the Otavalo indigenous people and make it known to the world.