Tunta

Tunta is a traditional Andean white freeze-dried potato made by repeatedly freezing potatoes in high-altitude night temperatures and drying them in the sun, then soaking and peeling to leach bitterness. The result is a light, spongy, pale product with a long shelf life, mild flavor, and a pleasantly chewy, tender texture once rehydrated. It is a form of chuño, distinguished from the darker, stronger-flavored “chuño negro.”

Used across Bolivia, Peru, and neighboring regions, tunta brings gentle potato notes and high absorbency to dishes. It readily soaks up broths, spices, and sauces, making it well suited to soups, stews, sautés, and salads like phuti de tunta. Before cooking, it is typically soaked and rinsed to soften and remove residual starches, then added to the dish toward the end so it stays intact while taking on surrounding flavors.