The Colombia food challenge: Bandeja paisa

The “bandeja paisa,” one of Colombia’s most iconic dishes, is not for the weak of heart or stomach.

This meat-laden tray of food, named for the “paisa” people of the Andean region of the Antioquia department, arguably contains more calories than suggested for a human to consume in a day. However, for a special occasion, or just to prove you can, the bandeja paisa is an impressive feat of eating.

The typical tray consists of ground or powdered beef, pork rinds, chorizo, blood sausage, beans, rice, a fried egg, an arepa (traditional Colombian cornmeal patty), fried plantain, “hogao” sauce and avocado.

Erica, who grew up in Antioquia but now lives in the U.S., has set up her own food blog, “My Colombian Recipes,” to share Colombian cuisine with the world.

“If I had to choose my last meal on earth, this would be it,” she said about the typical Colombian dish.

Check out My Colombian Recipes for Erica’s bandeja paisa recipe.

Buen aprovecho!

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