A traditional dish from the highlands of Ecuador will be featured during the Brookings Multicultural Center’s International Cooking class on April 22 at the Carrot Seed, 310 Main Ave., beginning 6:30 p.m.

Daniela Chiriboga, a native of Ecuador, will prepare and share her recipe for llapingachos. The word comes from the Native indigenous people of the Andes and translates to potato cakes in English and tortillas de papa in Spanish, the principal language of Ecuador. 

“This is a very traditional dish in Ecuador and represents our culture from the Andes, where lots of varieties of potatoes are grown,” Chiriboga said. Like American potato patties, llapingachos are made using mashed potatoes, but they are then filled with cheese and spices as well as toppings.  The potato cakes are served with avocados, pickled onions and tomatoes and a homemade peanut sauce.

“We usually eat llapingachos with chorizo (a spicy sausage) or sunny-side-up eggs,” explained Chiriboga, who moved to Brookings last fall from Oregon. Her husband, Guido Alvarez is an assistant professor of graphic design at South Dakota State University’s School of Design. This semester, Chiriboga is teaching Spanish at SDSU. Their son, Saul, is a junior at Oregon State University.

“Teaching the cooking class is a good way for me to connect with the community and the people by sharing something about me and my culture,” Chiriboga said. 

Those interested in learning to make llapingachos should register for the cooking class register by emailing cookingclass@brookingsmc.org. Jenifer Jones, who coordinates the cooking class, said, “This is going to be a delightful evening learning about Daniela’s culture and the delicious dish she is preparing.” 

Once Jones receives your email request, she will confirm your reservation. The class size is limited to 12, so sign up by April 18 to secure your spot in the class. The cost is $25 per person and can be paid via Venmo or Paypal.