Merkén (merquén)

MErkén, or merquén in Spanish, is a blend based on the ground smoked Ají cacho de cabra, the goat's horn chili. It is a specialty of the Mapuche, an indigenous Chilean people, who call this chili caciocavra.

Now also in our own packaging.

The Slow Food Foundation supports the cultivation of this caciocavra chili and the coriander that is inextricably linked to the merquén mixture traditionally made in Nagche and Wenteche in the Araucanía, an area in southern Chile where many Mapuche people live.

In February, the goat's horn chilies, still green, are harvested just as they are about to turn red. Sun-drying them initially turns them violet. Now it's time to smoke the chilies. They are smoked for no more than half an hour over a eucalyptus wood fire. After this, the chilies are dried in the sun a second time and only then are they ground. This is essentially a finished product, comparable to Spanish pimentons, but an intermediate step in the production of merkén. Merkén used to contain only chili pepper.

The ají cacho de cabra is a nearly two-thousand-year-old Capsicum annuum variety, classified as a Chilean-Peruvian landrace. It was already cultivated during the Moche civilization in northwestern Peru, and is now primarily grown in the Maule region, La Araucania, and in Peru in the valleys of the Chiclayo and Lambayequem provinces.

The Mochica were agriculturalists who lived from 100 to 750 AD in northern Peru, in various coastal valleys. Their territory stretched 400 kilometers and extended 80 kilometers inland. They used advanced irrigation systems to grow their crops. They even owed their prosperity to them. Their civilization ended after a period of heavy rainfall, followed by three decades of persistent drought (El Niño).

Merquén is a very special mixture. It is the ancestor of all chili powders. Merquén embodies the way the Mapuche held out against the European conquerors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by tactically utilizing European skills and applying them. integrate into their own culture. This is how coriander came to be in their merkén, which was originally made entirely of chili pepper.

Merkén symbolizes the Mapuche's perseverance and has only recently begun to attract the attention of chefs worldwide, interested in "forgotten" products. Because that's precisely what it is; until the year 2000, the outside world was still unaware of it. Our Merquén is made according to a traditional Mapuche recipe with ingredients sourced from various parts of Chile. It's made with this specific chili, roasted coriander, and a touch of salt.

Much merquén outside Peru is made with locally grown chiles, usually not goat horn chiles.

Work is underway to protect the species name. In that light, inclusion in the Slow Food Foundation's Ark of Taste is a necessary first step.

Usage

The Cacho de cabra is one of the most important chilies in Mapuche cuisine, and has found its way into modern Chilean cuisine from that tradition.

It is often dried and ground for use in marinades and dishes like chili con carne and soup. After hydrating, the pepper is used in sauces and pastes. Its most famous use is in merquén, which gives it its nickname, ají merkén.

Traditionally, the Mapuche use merquén in mashed potatoes (puré picante) - the Mapuche territory is the origin of a large number of potato cultivars - and with peanuts (mani merkén).But also in traditional Chilean dishes like lomito (a sandwich with marinated pork), chacarero (ditto, but with thinly sliced ​​beef), on pizzas, and in pebre, the famous Chilean sauce. Merkén also pairs perfectly with fish (salmon) and pumpkin—as does the warm mashriq blend. baharat.

The Araucanía region grows in the Araucanía tree, known for its seeds, piñónes (pine nuts). A typical Mapuche dish is sautéed piñónes with merkén: the seeds are boiled and then roasted with garlic, oregano, and salt. Merkén is used as a finishing touch.

And what about a coffee-rubbed steak? Make a rub of 2-3 parts ground robust coffee, 1 part brown caster sugar, 1 part to notice And salt and garlic to taste (max 1 part)? If you make the rub ahead of time and want to save it for future use, don't use fresh garlic, but garlic powder.

Features

• mixture of goat horn pepper (Capsicum annuum), roasted coriander seeds, salt
  
• We only supply the original brands, originating from Chile from the Etnia (Mapuche) brand.
• no preservatives

Assortment

• in original Etnia packaging - 100 grams - temporarily unavailable
• The original Etnia merkén is available in our own packaging, in glass (45 grams) and stand-up pouch from 30 grams

General advice

• store the merquén in a cool place and certainly not in direct sunlight;
  
• After opening, the ground meal can be kept for at least three months, provided it is kept in a closed container
• If you want to keep your merkén for a longer period, store your merkén just like piment d'Espelette in the refrigerator between 3 and 5° C.

Best before:

• November 2026 (11-2026)