Lomo Saltado

Lima, Peru (chifa Peruvian-Cantonese culinary tradition, 19th century)

Lomo saltado is Peru's emblematic chifa (Peruvian-Chinese fusion) dish — marinated strips of beef sirloin stir-fried in a wok at extreme heat with tomatoes, ají amarillo chilli, red onion, soy sauce, vinegar, and coriander, served over white rice and with fried potatoes, so that the beef's charred cooking juices and the soy-vinegar sauce are simultaneously absorbed by the rice and the fries. The dish is the most visible evidence of the chifa culinary tradition established by Cantonese immigrants to Peru in the 19th century: the wok technique, soy sauce, and rapid stir-frying are Chinese; the ají amarillo, potato, and Peruvian spirit vinegar are Andean. The potatoes must be fried separately at high heat and added to the wok at the last moment so they remain crisp.

The canonicaltrio of lomo saltado — white rice, fried potatoes, and the stir-fried beef — creates a starch-on-starch combination that is entirely intentional; chicha morada or Inca Kola alongside are the Peruvian national pairings.