Cuy (Cavia porcellus) alternately called Cobayo or conejillo de indias is a guinea pig or cavy. The taste is compared to rabbit, thought delicious, and though difficult to accept for people in other countries who regard guinea pigs as pets, the cuy is a staple of Andean cuisine. They are called "cuy" for the sound they make cuy, cuy.
The cuy has a place in pre-Colombian Inca tradition. Consumed only by the nobility or used as a sacrifice and a means of foretelling the future via the entrails, there is a long History of the Guinea Pig in South America. Cuys are today raised commercially and form a nutritious part of the Andean diet. An important part of the Novoandina cuisine, cuys are prepared in varipus ways according to region, but in Peru, they are usually served with potatoes or rice and a savory, spicy sauce.