Causa comes from the quechua word kausay which means ‘life’. It is thought it was created during the War of the Pacific between Chile, Bolivia and Peru in the latter part of the 19th century when, during hard times, the wives of the Peruvian soldiers made the best of what they had available, namely potatoes and chillies.
Causa Limeña (or Lima Causa) is a cold potato salad containing yellow boiled potatoes with sliced aji Amarillo chilli and some form of protein such as tuna or chicken.

The potato is the most commonly eaten vegetable in the world and originates from the wild Andes of Peru 7,000 – 10,000 years ago. It became a crucial part of the Andean diet, offering sustenance and adaptability to challenging high-altitude living. It has become a treasured crop worldwide and is still the star of Peruvian cuisine.

Ají (chilli pepper) amarillo (yellow) is not actually a yellow chilli but bright orange only appearing yellow after cooking. It’s the holy trinity when it comes to their cuisine. It’s fruity and hot but hard to find in this hemisphere. I have a selection of chilli plants including the fruity Peruvian lemon drop, but it hasn’t fruited yet so have plumped for serrano in its place.

The potato is seasoned with lemon juice, salt, pepper and chilli paste and layered with seared tuna in a light mayo and avocado and topped with a quail egg and chives. #May2026 #CA2025