MARKETS : Aisle Upon Aisle of Goods From South America

Luzann Food Imports, Pacific Village Plaza, 2068-B Pacific Coast Highway, Lomita. (213) 325-1664. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Run clear out of the makings for mazamorra morada ? Look for the llama painted on the front window of a Lomita mini-mall storefront. There you’ll find Luzann Food Imports, a pan-Latin American market owned by (and named for) a former contract administrator at Hughes Aircraft, Peruvian-born Luz Burns.

Toward the back of this newish and rather prosaic-looking store is a deli case full of exotic South American cuts of meat. For instance, skewered chunks of beef heart marinated in a wine vinegar and garlic mixture with just a hint of the Peruvian chile aji mirasol . Slap them on the barbecue, and you’ll have the Peruvian national dish anticuchos .

All the fixings for an authentic Argentine asado or mixed grill are at Luzann, too. These include Argentine-style pork sausage ( chorizo ), beef ribs cut gaucho-style, blood sausage ( morcilla ), sweetbreads, entrana (skirt steak) and several other cuts of beef. Luzann stocks homemade chimichurri sauce, a pungent Argentine relish of garlic, herbs and a touch of vinegar to accompany your asado . It also does wonders for plain old hamburgers.

The left side of the store has a couple of aisles stocking imported shelf goods, plus dried and canned Peruvian peppers ( aji mirasol , aji panca and rocoto ), banana leaves, the yellow herb palillo and lots more.

SHOPPING LIST:

* Jamon del pais: It sounds like it should be ham, but it isn’t. It’s uncured pork leg, meticulously trimmed of fat, dry-marinated and slowly braised. It’s also the main ingredient in Peru’s national sandwich, butifarra . To make the most authentic butifarra, you’ll also need the rich, eggy South American-style mayonnaise that Luzann imports from Argentina.

* Purple corn: It’s but one of many unusual corn products the store carries. You can buy it either dried on the cob or ground into a pudding mix called mazamorra morada .

* White corn: Its Peruvian name is choclo , a strain of giant white corn grown in Peru since Inca times. “You should simmer it about eight to ten minutes in its water,” Burns advises, “or you can microwave it for five minutes.” Peruvians serve choclo in a creamy cheese sauce seasoned with huacataya (sometimes called black mint), an herb of the marigold family that shows up frequently in Peruvian cooking.

* Chicha morada : A drink that looks like grape juice but is basically pineapple juice, dyed brilliant purple with . . . purple corn.

* Maiz cancha : A nutritious, high-protein corn for toasting. When heated in hot oil (see recipe), the kernels puff slightly, though they don’t actually pop. The texture is less squeaky-dry than popcorn, and the flavor is enjoyably nut-like.

* Nuna beans: Sometimes called popping beans. Toasted by the same method as maiz cancha , they are 22% protein and contain all eight essential amino acids. They end up tasting a bit like peanuts, though it must be said that even after toasting they’re pretty tough to chew.

* Chunos: The ancient Incas made chunos (also known as tuntas , particularly in Bolivia) by freezing potatoes in snow-packed mountain passes, then slowly squeezing out their liquid as they thawed. They’re prized for their special texture and used in soups and stews. At Luzann, chunos come canned and in the form of harina del chuno , a potato starch used as a thickener. It’s main advantage: no “floury” taste.

* More potato products: Harina del camote , a sweet potato flour used in desserts, and papas secas , the chopped dried potatoes used in the famous Peruvian meat-and-potato stew, carapulcra .

* Pasta aceitunas negras : A paste made from wrinkled black olives. It’s delicious spread on crackers or bread.

* Frozen fruit purees: These are made of pure fruit--including passion fruit, papaya and mango--without sugar. Use them to make homemade sorbets or ice cream and yogurt toppings.

* Peruvian tamales: These are made with a smoother, lighter masa than the Mexican variety (the masa is mixed with hominy and seasoned broth), and are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Filled with chunks of chicken or lean pork, plus one olive, the tamales are traditionally eaten at Saturday and Sunday breakfast.

* Aji de gallina : Stewed chicken in a velvety--and hot--nut sauce (see recipe), available in the deli. Luzann’s prepares the dish almost daily using an imported yellow Peruvian chile puree (aji amarillo) , which the market sells in jars.

* Papas al la Huancaina : Also from the deli. These are cooked potato slices smothered in a creamy cheese sauce with a light accent of Peruvian yellow chile pepper. It might be the most sophisticated potato salad on earth. Luzann garnishes it with fat black Peruvian olives called aceitunas de botija , also available in the market section.

* Empanadas: Probably the most popular item sold from the deli. They’re plump, fried-to-order and made in several varieties. Home cooks who want to make their own empanadas can buy pre-cut wrappers from a cold case in the market. Luz recommends filling the wrappers with cream cheese and quince paste or guava cream (available from a display near the cooler) to make a sweet pastry.

* South American desserts: Available in the cold case. There’s chaja , made with layers of meringue, sponge cake and peaches, topped with whipped cream; mil ojas , filo layers filled with dulce de leche (concentrated caramelized milk), whipped cream and pineapple glaze. An extra-rich version of flan is also sold.

Other sources for South American groceries:

* La Colina Market, Hill Plaza, 290 N. Hill Ave., Pasadena. (818) 568-1192.

* Catalina’s Market, 1070 N. Western Ave., Hollywood. (213) 464-3595.

AJI DE GALLINA

1 (4-pound) chicken, quartered

3 cups (about) unsalted chicken broth

1/4 cup oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/3 cups soft fresh bread crumbs

8 jalapeno chiles, seeded, deveined and chopped, or 2 tablespoons Peruvian aji amarillo chili puree

1 cup evaporated milk

6 ounces shelled walnuts or pecans, ground to paste in blender or food processor

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

7 medium red potatoes, boiled, peeled and sliced

Peruvian or calamata olives

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped, optional

Place chicken in large pot and add enough broth to cover chicken. Simmer, covered, and cook until chicken is completely tender, about 45 minutes. Let chicken cool in broth. Drain off broth and reserve. Skin and coarsely shred chicken. Discard bones and skin.

Heat oil and saute onions and garlic until tender and translucent. Soak bread crumbs in enough reserved broth to moisten completely. In blender or food processor, puree chiles with little broth or use chile puree. When onions are cooked, stir in bread crumbs, chiles, evaporated milk, nuts and cheese.

Stir chicken into milk mixture and heat through. Add enough of remaining reserved broth to thin sauce to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and white pepper and add more aji, if desired. Serve chicken over potato slices and garnish each serving with olives and sprinkling of chopped egg. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

NUNAS

(Popping Beans)

Peanut or vegetable oil

Nunas (popping beans)

Salt

Pour about 1 inch oil into deep 10-inch covered skillet or large heavy pan. Heat oil over medium-high heat until surface shimmers. Pour in enough nuna to distribute in single layer over bottom of pan.

Cook, shaking pan very gently until popping sounds stop. Scoop out nuna with slotted spoon and drain on several layers of paper towels. Transfer beans to bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Note: It is important to keep the beans covered with oil, or they will not pop. They should not be hard.

MAIZ CANCHA

(Toasted Corn)

Peanut or vegetable oil

Maiz cancha (corn for toasting)

Salt

Pour about 1 inch oil into deep 10-inch covered skillet or heavy pan. Heat oil over medium-high heat until surface shimmers. Pour in enough maiz cancha to distribute in single layer over entire bottom of pan.

Cook, shaking pan very gently until popping sounds stop. Scoop out popped kernels with slotted spoon and drain on several layers of paper towels. Transfer kernels to bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt.