Native American Cooking

Native American cooking includes practices in thePulque
culinary arts of the native peoples of the all theTlacoyos
Americas.Native American cooking of South America
Modern day native peoples retain a rich body ofHumitas, similar to modern-day Tamales, a thick
traditional foods, some of which have becomemixture of corn, herbs and onion, cooked in a
iconic of present-day Native American socialcorn-leaf wrapping.
gatherings (for example, frybread). Foods likeFried green tomatoes, a nightshade relative native
cornbread are known to have been adopted intoto Peru
the cooking of the United States from NativeSaraiaka or Chicha, a corn liquor
American groups. In other cases, documentsCh'arki, a type of dried meat
from the early periods of contact with European,Crops and ingredients
African, and Asian peoples allow the recovery ofMaize, beans and squash were known as the
food practices which passed out of popularity inthree sisters for their symbiotic relationship when
the historic period (for example, Black Drink).grown together by the North American and
Native American cooking of the United StatesCentral American natives.
The native cooking of the Native Americans ofCrops
the United States:Beans - Throughout the Americas.
American Indians of the Eastern WoodlandsSquash - Throughout the Americas.
planted what was known as the "Three Sisters":Sweet potato
corn, beans, and squash.Potato - South American
In addition, a number of other domesticated cropsTomato
were popular during some time periods in theCoca
Eastern Woodlands, including a local version ofKiwacha
quinoa, a variety of amaranth, sumpweed/marshMaca
elder, maygrass, sunflower, and little barley.South and Central America.chile peppersbell
Some known dishespeppersquinoa South America, Central America,
Succotash, a trio of lima beans, tomatoes andand Eastern North
cornAmerica.amaranthtobaccocassava Primarily South
Corn breadAmerica.
Fry bread is a dish made from ingredientsHunted or livestock
distributed to Native Americans living onHorse: The only animal on the list introduced by
reservations.Europeans, the horse was still very important to
PemmicanNative American cultures throughout the
Buffalo stew, from the Cherokee Nation alsoAmericas (although famously on the North
called Tanka-me-a-loAmerican Plains) in the historic era.
Acorn mush, from the Miwok peopleSquirrel: Many groups had no cultural stigma
Bird brain stew, from the Cree tribeagainst the consumption of small mammals such
Native American cooking of Central Americaas squirrels.
Central America made a major contribution toGuinea pig: Domesticated in the Andes.
shaping modern-day Mexican cooking.Bison: A centrally important wild food and modern
Tamaleslivestock animal.
MoleLlama: Domesticated in the Andes.
MezcalGuanaco: Hunted in Southamerica by
Tortillashunter-gatherer societies, for ex. in Patagonia until
Champurrado, a chocolate drinkthe 19th century.
PozoleTurkey: Domesticated at least once in Mexico.