10 words to understand Peruvian food
10 words to help you understand Peruvian cuisine
Hola my friends…in the summertime, wherever I am traveling I try to slow down, enjoy being in the moment, cook food that makes me happy. How about you, what do you do in the long, hot days in the middle of summer?
Today I thought it might be interesting for us to have a vocabulary lesson! I know a lot of you speak Spanish, which is helpful if you’re traveling to eat in Spain or Latin America. But there is one corner of South America that has its own unique food language, which is very important to learn if you’re traveling there. I’m talking about Peru, one of the most amazing food destinations in the world (did you ever check out the Chef’s List we did there?)
Lima, Peru is for ceviche, seafood, and sweets
Guys—I’m writing to you from the Cayman Islands right now for the Cayman Cookout, an event hosted by my friend Eric Ripert that I’ve been going to for a long time…since 2010, when I was there with Eric, the great chef Grant Achatz, and my old, dear friend, Tony Bourdain. We’ve always had so much fun there…we always miss Tony, of course. This week Eric and I have been hanging out with our buddy Andrew Zimmern.
If you have never been to Peru, maybe you’ve been to a Peruvian restaurant? In DC, of course I love our restaurant China Chilcano, as well as the incredible James Beard-award winning Causa by my old friend Carlos Delgado. Wherever you live, it’s worth exploring Peru’s rich culinary history, its different traditions, immigrant populations, and ingredients you can’t find anywhere else. Peru brought us ceviche! And pisco!
The thing about Peruvian food is that there are some words that you might not find anywhere else..so here you go, 10 words to help you understand Peruvian cuisine:
Nikkei
"Nikkei" can be both a culinary tradition or style AND a cultural identity. In Peruvian food terms, Nikkei blends Japanese cooking techniques (finesse, refined knife work, presentation) with Peruvian ingredients and flavors. Remember tiradito from a few weeks ago? It’s a perfect example of Nikkei. Culturally, Nikkei describes Japanese people living outside of Japan—in Peru specifically, the Nikkei population found their way over during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over time, they formed a strong community and developed their own unique culinary traditions.
Chifa
When you see “Chifa,” it could also mean two things—it’s both the style of Chinese-Peruvian fusion cuisine that developed in the 19th century, or a place that serves that food. People, this is true fusion food, because it blends Chinese cooking techniques with Peruvian flavors and ingredients, resulting in something you can’t find anywhere else in the world. It’s believed that the word “chifa” comes from a Cantonese phrase, "chi fan," which means “to have a meal.” Lomo saltado is a classic Chifa dish.
Criollo
Criollo or criolla represents a little bit of everything that has made Peru the amazing place it is today! This cultural identity is rooted in Lima and the surrounding coastal areas, and it’s an incredible blend of Indigenous, Spanish, and West African traditions. In criollo food, you will find lots of native ingredients like ají peppers, which give an incredible depth of flavor to dishes like ají de gallina—a hearty chicken stew with eggs and rice, (which of course we serve at China Chilcano!)
Aji Amarillo
Speaking of the ají pepper, you’ll probably want to get to know the ají amarillo, which is a bright yellow-orange chili pepper that you will find everywhere in Peruvian food. It’s part of the “holy trinity,” a base for lots of dishes—in Creole food, the Holy Trinity consists of onion, celery, and bell pepper, and in Peruvian food, it is red onion, garlic, and these ají amarillo peppers. The pepper itself is sweet, with almost a mango-like flavor. It can be anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 units on the Scoville scale, which is still considered moderate—but it’s the same level as cayenne, so don’t underestimate it, people! It’s also made into a paste that can be used in everything from soups and stews to ceviche and even condiments. Ok, now you are an expert…do you want to try it?
Sánguche
This one is pretty simple…a sánguche is a sandwich! In Peru, you’ll find lots of sangucherías serving traditional sandwiches like the famous sánguche de chicharrón, with crispy pork belly, or a triple sandwich with hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes and avocado. At China Chilcano, we serve a sánguche de chancho (with pork belly) and a sánguche de pescado with the freshest fish of the day and a salsa criolla…now you are getting the hang of this!
Causa
Causa almost looks like a savory birthday cake, with layers of mashed yellow potatoes and a filling of chicken, avocado, or fish, flavored with ají amarillo and lime juice, and can be garnished with olives or eggs. It originated in Lima, which is why you’ll usually see it called causa limeña.
Huancaína
Ok, now that you’re experts on the ají amarillo pepper, I want to introduce you to one of the most popular sauces you can make with it: huancaína! It’s creamy, it’s spicy, it’s a beautiful yellow color, made with ají amarillo peppers, evaporated milk, queso fresco, and sometimes crackers to thicken it. You can find it in dishes like papas a la huancaína, which is potatoes with eggs and olives.
Chilcano
Move over, Moscow mules…once you try a Chilcano, you’ll never want to drink vodka again…! The Chilcano is one of the most popular drinks in Peru, made with pisco, lime, and ginger ale. It’s refreshing and versatile, and you can easily make your own version of it at home…even more colorful if you’re macerating pisco with different fruits. And it’s so beloved in Lima that there is an entire week dedicated to it every year, called the “Semana del Chilcano.”
Marciano
Of course, it’s hot almost everywhere right now, so we can always enjoy something cool and refreshing this time of year. In Peru, there are marcianos, which are popsicles made from fruit or milk. You can find street vendors who sell them all over Peru, and some of the most popular flavors are passion fruit, strawberry, or chicha morada (keep reading!). I want one right now!
Chicha morado
Chicha morado is a unique beverage in Peru, made from corn, which you can get both fermented and non-fermented. It originates from the indigenous civilizations that lived in Peru, made from purple corn and flavored with pineapple rinds and spices. It is a beautiful purple color that looks amazing in a glass, and it’s a perfect non-alcoholic refresher that you can enjoy any time of day.
What do you think? Are you ready to take on some Peruvian dishes at home? Will you come see us at China Chilcano? Let me know some of your favorite Peruvian dishes and drinks in the comments!
I love pisco sours, but now I’ll have to check out a chilcano!
Peruvian food is the best! I'm from the UK originally and have been living in Lima for the past three years. One of my favourite things about Peruvian food is how they use it as part of their everyday language, too. For example, Papaya = Easy. It's hilarious. My husband has a t-shirt which says 'Cual es tú Cau Cau' on it. If you know, you know!