“There are so many products in Peru that are unfamiliar to people in the States. When you eat this food, it’s not like, Well, this is something like … It’s not “kind of like” anything. It’s really awesome.”
— Anthony Bourdain
Located in South America lying next to the Pacific Coast is Peru, with one of the world’s greatest cuisines. Peru is geographically diverse housing the indomitable Andes Mountains, the tropical Amazon Basin, as well as the Coast, all of which contribute significantly to Peruvian cuisine. Native to the Andes Mountains and highlands is the old world potato featuring a wide array of potatoes and sweet potatoes somewhere north of 3,800 varieties.
The history of traditional Peruvian food goes way back to the time of the Incas with potatoes, spices, and maize that evolved with the arrival of Spanish Colonies and redeveloped with the various cooking styles of Japanese, Chinese, African, and Arab immigrants to generate Peru’s world-famous fusion cuisine that has managed to retain the enriching elements of each ethnicity to create a distinct cuisine of its own unmatched in range and melange.
This country’s unique food fare can seem quite strange at first considering the assembly of unlikely, and seemingly at odds, ingredients such as soy sauce, vinegar, and tomatoes stir-fried next to potatoes and “aji”, prominent Peruvian hot peppers in one single dish. Today’s Lomo Saltado exemplifies this peculiar feature.
Lomo Saltado directly translates to “stir-fried beef” and is a stew-like mixture of beef, onions, tomatoes, aji Amarillo paste, and soy sauce sauteéd in a large pan (or wok) showcasing one of the many contributions Chinese immigration brought to Peru.
In 1849, a large number of Chinese immigrant workers arrived in Peru to replace the African slave laborers while the country was in the midst of abolishing slavery. Following this migration, a new bloodline to Peru, Lomo Saltado made an appearance in Peruvian Cuisine that over time evolved to suit the local palate and available ingredients to what is today’s unique and colorful meal with all of its vibrant and vivacious flavors playing nicely together to display the fusion of old and new worlds on a plate.
