Chocho
Chocho is a common name used in parts of the Andes for Lupinus mutabilis, an annual legume native to the high Andes of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and northern Chile. Known locally as chocho or tarwi in some dialects, the plant is grown for its seeds and for soil improvement as a green manuring crop. The plant is a bushy shrub reaching about 0.5–1.5 meters in height; leaves are palmately compound; flowering clusters produce purple, blue, or sometimes white flowers; later pods contain edible seeds.
The seeds, called chochos, are a traditional staple in Andean cuisine. They are high in protein but
Beyond agriculture, "Chocho" functions as a surname in some Spanish-speaking communities. The term may appear in
Botanically, Lupinus mutabilis belongs to the Fabaceae family and has been studied for both human consumption