A flavorful immigrant dish from Peru

Lomo saltado, stir-fried beef, is a Peruvian-Chinese immigrant story

Hello friends, today I want to talk about China Chilcano, which we opened ten years ago…oh my god, I can’t believe it’s been ten years already. In the next few months we will celebrate this milestone anniversary, but I think you need a recipe from Peru before that, don’t you agree?

When we first opened China Chilcano in 2015, we were on a mission to tell the story of Peru, a story that isn’t widely told here in the U.S. It’s a fascinating story—Peru has a food identity unlike any other country in the world! Peru, like the US, is a nation made up of immigrants as well as communities who have lived there for many generations, so our menu celebrates some of those diverse influences…especially three major threads of Peruvian cuisine. Criollo is the food of indigenous Peruvians mixed with Spanish and West African influences and native ingredients like ají peppers; Chifa cuisine is a Chinese style of cooking with Peruvian flavors; and Nikkei, a beautiful taste of Japan with dishes like sashimi and tiradito, executed with Peruvian ingredients.

Today’s recipe, Lomo Saltado, is a Peruvian favorite, and I think it’s representative of many of those culinary threads—indigenous, Spanish, and Chinese…specifically Chifa cuisine. It probably originated in the early 19th century, when Chinese chefs were cooking with woks on the streets of Lima. “Lomo saltado” just means “stir-fried tenderloin” in Peruvian Spanish, but this magic stir-fry also includes a special ingredient…french fries!

Its flavors are deeply savory…lots of umami…and a hearty meal on a weeknight for your family. It’s faster if you skip making the fries from scratch and crisp up some old leftover fries you find in the fridge instead.

Of course, you can come in to enjoy it at China Chilcano, and I hope you do…help us celebrate 10 years!

Lomo saltado
Serves 4