Chinese food is the heritage of mankind, and as we all know, it has been traveling around the world for centuries and enchanting palates. All these trips of these exotic flavors have served to bring about the emergence of crossbreeding. The fusion of oriental gastronomy with the ingredients and customs of various peoples has been inevitable, and a clear example is the Ecuadorian chaulafan. Today we want to tell you about this delicious dish. Let’s get started!
Ecuadorian Chaulafan: from Quevedo to the world
Chaulafan, the Ecuadorian version of Chinese rice, is a food that unites the taste and creativity of two hard-working peoples: the Ecuadorian and the Chinese. Today it is part of the everyday life of Ecuadorians, but let’s take a look at its origin.
According to 19th century chroniclers, chaulafan is a dish whose origin can be found in the city of Quevedo, province of Los Rios, in Ecuador, where it reached popularity and took root until it became the most typical and complete food of this region.
Chaulafan began to be cooked with the first wave of oriental immigration, which arrived in Ecuador between 1840 and 1860. It is said that it began as a dish in which all the leftovers were mixed in a wok with rice, in order to make the most of all the resources.
With the passing of time, thanks to its versatile recipes, ease of preparation and cultural value, chaulafan became a main dish in the local menu that could also accompany other emblematic dishes such as, for example, chicken in its different styles.
The recipe of the Quevedo dish adds original ingredients and also requires very specific conditions, such as heat up to more than 700 degrees Celsius.
Chaulafan: appetizing, international and easy to prepare
The chaulafan ecuatoriano is today a dish that is part of everyday life in Ecuador, it is served in restaurants all over the country and is also frequently prepared in every home. If it sounds appetizing to you, you too can take on the challenge of preparing it.
Chaulafan combines different proteins such as eggs, meats and shrimp; vegetables in minimal cooking, sauces and other condiments and, of course, rice.
Since it is a very versatile recipe, there are no strict rules when it comes to preparing it. Feel free to add your personal touch.
Ingredients for a Chaulafan “con todo”…
- ½ kilo of rice.
- 1 cup of pork meat, cut in cubes or thinly in strips.
- 1 cup of beef, cut in cubes or in strips.
- 1 cup of cooked chicken breast, cooked and crumbled, not too finely.
- 1 cup shrimp.
- 4 ounces of ham.
- 2 eggs.
- 4 tablespoons of soy sauce.
- 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce.
- 2 chopped green onions.
- 2 chopped celery sticks.
- 2 chopped peppers.
- salt and pepper to taste.
Easy preparation and Buen Provecho!
- The first thing to do is to beat the two eggs like an omelet and fry them in a deep frying pan (a wok is ideal). Add just a pinch of salt to taste, very carefully because remember that we will use soy sauce. Remove the tortilla from the pan and set aside.
- We have washed and cut into thin strips or small cubes the pork, beef and chicken, ready to fry.
- Attention! The sofritos are not fried, we must make sure that all the meats are shiny and juicy, not toasted.
- Place two tablespoons of oil in the pan and place the pork meat, add salt and pepper to taste and stir constantly to achieve a homogeneous cooking, it should be juicy and remove it from the pan.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan, now it is time for the beef, to which we add salt and fresh pepper and fry it with the same procedure.
- Remove the meat from the frying pan and add a little bit of oil because now we fry the chicken strips or cubes, sprinkle salt and pepper at the same moment.
- Then we go with the shrimps, previously washed and well drained, we must fry them very carefully because they are very soft. Remove with the skimmer and set aside.
- Now we return all the proteins to the pan and with the juices of the pork, the meats and the chicken, we move them to continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
- Before adding the cooked and dried rice (if possible from the day before) we reserve some shrimp and chicken strips to garnish, we add the spoonfuls of soy sauce and the chopped ham, as well as the egg tortilla that we have reserved from the beginning of the preparation. We mix very well, all this is done keeping the pan over controlled heat.
- We add the soy sauce and also the oyster sauce, this last one you can substitute it with a little bit of grated ginger, which is added at this moment of the mixture. We cover it so that the heat of the fire does its magic of flavors and at this precise moment we add the white part of the onion and the chopped celery, of both we reserve a little to garnish next to the shrimps.
- Now we are ready to serve our Ecuadorian Chaulafan, we take the preparation to the plate and garnish with the shrimp and onion, we can also sprinkle with a little more soy sauce.
Looking for Chinese food fused with other Latin American flavors? Meet the Peruvian chifa
The chaulafan is a marvel! And just as it is the star of Ecuadorian-Chinese fusion, we want to tell you that in Peru we also have our own versions of classic oriental dishes, and all this is summarized in the gastronomic culture of the chifa.
The mixture of Peruvian and Chinese flavors gave birth to wonderful recipes. If you are a fan of rice, for example, we invite you to try the arroz chaufa, and if you want meats, you can not miss the lomo saltado or tipakay chicken, among many other dishes.
Chifa food is a tradition in Peru, so if you are planning to venture into recipes inspired by Chinese gastronomy but born in America, this is a stop you cannot miss.
Remember that Peru is the gastronomic destination par excellence of this continent, and this type of dishes is no exception, you have to try chifa food!
If you are in Miami, come to Chifa Du Kang!
If you are in Miami and want to taste a true chifa experience, your best option is Chifa Du Kang. We have authentic Chinese Peruvian fusion dishes that you will love.
Chifa is the best kept gastronomic secret in Peru and at Chifa Du Kang we are revealing it to more and more people in our Chinese restaurant in Miami. We have two restaurants, we are on Kendall Dr and Bird Road.
A Peruvian tradition that we now want to expand to the whole world!
Ready to get to know our menu and travel directly to Peru thanks to an exotic culinary experience?
