Sancocho: the National Dish of Panama
What Panamanian sancocho is, how it differs from the Dominican and Colombian versions, and why it is the national dish.
Every country in Latin America has a sancocho and every one of them is different. The Panamanian version is the most austere of the family, and its virtue is what it leaves out.
What goes in
- Hen, not chicken. A tough backyard hen that needs an hour and a half of simmering and gives the broth a body that farmed chicken cannot.
- Ñame. A starchy tropical root that partly dissolves and thickens the broth.
- Culantro. Not cilantro â a long, serrated leaf, sharper and more bitter, used generously. It is the signature of the dish.
- Onion, oregano, corn. That is all.
White rice is served on the side, not in the bowl, and each person adds it themselves.
How it differs from its neighbours
The Dominican sancocho famously uses seven meats and is thick and stew-like. The Colombian version typically uses beef, cassava and plantain. The Panamanian is a clear broth with hen, ñame and culantro â lighter, cleaner, and built around one herb.
When Panamanians eat it
Sunday lunch, family gatherings, wakes, and â this is not a joke â at five in the morning after a long night. It is the recognised hangover cure, and on Sunday mornings the places that serve it have a queue.
There is also a saying from the Azuero peninsula about the sancocho de tres golpes, named for the three times the broth is brought back to the boil.
Where to try it
In traditional restaurants and roadside fondas. In Casco Antiguo, several kitchens reinterpret it rather than serving it straight â Aya la Vida, on Avenida A and Calle 12 Oeste, turns it into a creamy rice built on a wood-fired sancocho base, with chicken and a crisp layer of concolón.
Frequently asked questions
Can it be made with chicken?
It can, but the broth loses body. Hen is what makes it sancocho.
What is ñame?
A tropical root vegetable, starchier than potato, which thickens the broth as it breaks down.
Are culantro and cilantro the same?
No. Culantro has long serrated leaves and a much stronger flavour.
Is it spicy?
No. Habanero sauce is served on the side for those who want it.
Is it eaten all year?
Yes, though it is above all Sunday and gathering food.
Keep reading
- Where to Eat in Panama City: A Local Guide
- Panamanian Food: What to Eat in Panama City
- Seco herrerano: que es y como se toma
Aya la Vida is in Edificio La Cuadra, Avenida A and Calle 12 Oeste, Casco Antiguo, Panama City. Menu and opening hours on its official site; book a table here, see the menu, or plan a Copa stopover.
Reserva tu mesa en Aya la Vida
Cocina panameña de autor en el Casco Antiguo de Ciudad de Panamá, Edificio La Cuadra, Avenida A y Calle 12 Oeste. Terraza al aire libre y música en vivo de jueves a sábado.
