Llajwa

Llajwa

Llajua or llajwa (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈʎaxwa]) is a hot sauce prepared from locotos (Bolivian hot chili peppers) and tomatoes; sometimes onions are added to the mix. One or two seasoning herbs could be added, depending on the region and taste: quirquiña (Bolivian Coriander) in Cochabamba and wakataya in the Altiplano and other valleys of Bolivia. It is preferably prepared on a grinding stone called a batan, which can be found in most Bolivian households of Cochabamba and Altiplano. In the absence of a batan, it can be prepared in blender.

It is consumed all over Bolivia.

Llajua is used to season a wide variety of dishes. A traditional use is as a dip for plain cooked potatoes or bread, or an addition to soup prior to the main course. Food carts usually have it available for customers and for take-away food it is dispensed in small hand-tied clear plastic bags.

In the north of Chile (Arica and Iquique) the same sauce receives the name pebre, which in the rest of Chile refers to a completely different dressing.

The name "Llajua", despite being the traditional name for this recipe, was accorded trademark protection in 2008 by the Bolivian government.