Leche de tigre (Tiger's Milk, a mix of fish juice, lemon and other ingredients) is also added to chocho frequently.
Chocho is very connected to the Peruvian Andes. It has been cultivated here for over 1,500 years, so going back to pre-Incan times. In Quechua, the plant and bean are called tarwi. The plant is very suited to growth in the Andes, as it is drought and frost resistant.
Like potatoes and the mountains, chocho is deeply tied to Andean culture. The plant is cultivated but also grows wild, and its pale green leaves and blue flowers are a common sight along hiking trails in the valleys of Ancash. It has been a source of protein since pre-colonial times and continues to be a part of everyday life for the people who produce and eat it.
