Peruvian pollada — Peru

Pollada refers to a Peruvian chicken dish and, just as often, to the gathering built around it: a plate of roasted or fried chicken served with potatoes, salad and a spicy sauce, sold in quantity to raise money for a cause. The word comes from pollo, chicken, and describes both the food and the event where it is served. It is reported across Peru as one of the most familiar dishes in everyday Peruvian cooking, precisely because of how often it is prepared: for community fundraisers, to help cover medical bills, support a local sports team or fund a family occasion. Tickets are typically sold ahead of the event, and the chicken is cooked and served on the day to those who bought them. Chicken pieces are marinated in a mix of spices, sometimes with beer, vinegar or a touch of soy sauce, then roasted or deep-fried until the skin turns golden and crisp. It is plated with a portion of fried or boiled potatoes, a simple salad of lettuce, tomato and onion, and a side of Peruvian hot sauce, most often a version of aji sauce, for guests to add at the table. What distinguishes this dish from an everyday roast chicken plate is its social purpose: quantities are scaled for a crowd, cooking is often done outdoors in large batches over charcoal, and the meal is inseparable from the fundraising event itself. The price of the plate is set to cover both the food and the cause it supports, and the gathering is as much the point as the chicken.