Colombian

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Changua (Eggs Poached in a Salted Milk Broth)

Colombia's breakfast soup: milk and water in equal parts, salted and brought up to heat, with eggs cracked in whole and poached, and dry bread left to soften in the bowl. The two usual aids to poaching an egg — vinegar in the water, and no salt — are both closed to this pot: it is the soup, so it has to be seasoned, and it is milk, so vinegar would curdle it. It gets away with that because whatever white strays is still in the bowl.

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Ajiaco (Bogotá Chicken Soup Built on Three Potatoes)

One of Colombia's national dishes: a Bogotá chicken soup built on three kinds of potato, each with a job. Small yellow papa criolla falls apart and becomes the body of the soup, waxy potatoes stay in pieces, and a middling one fills in between. Corn and the herb guascas go in; cream and capers are added at the table.

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Arepas

A staple of Colombia and Venezuela — round corn cakes griddled until golden and crisp outside, soft inside. The dough is just three things: masarepa, water, and salt. Spread with butter, or split and stuffed with cheese, egg, or meat.