In this post we are going to do some storytelling. We want to tell you about the history of chifa, a delicious culinary mix that embraces two cultures and that until recently was Peru’s best kept gastronomic secret. Do you know it? Let’s discover its history and then, hopefully, discover its delicious and explosive flavor. Let’s get started!
Peru is not just ceviche
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It is well known that Peru is a world-class gastronomic destination. Its flavors are five stars. Ceviche has prestige in the five continents, as well as other dishes such as aji de gallina, causa limena, leche de tigre, aguadito and roast chicken. What else?
Chifa is not usually mentioned in this honor roll, but not because this gastronomic subgenre is not equally delicious, but because until now we had jealously preserved it as something only ours. But why not share with the world what makes us so happy? The time has come.
Like a movie: This is the history of our beloved chifa
Chifa food was born in the 19th century, when the first Chinese migrants arrived in Peru. They came to work in agriculture and brought with them a powerful cultural baggage that they wanted to preserve, but at the same time they found a new home and a new culture that offered them everything.
When it came to food, these outsiders were loyal to rice and the wok cooking technique. In China these are staples of daily food so they did not intend to give them up, but suddenly these migrants began to learn about new ingredients, for example, the characteristic flavor of panca bell pepper, local meats, seafood offered by the Pacific Ocean, and so on…. a whole catalog of new flavors that made the world expand in front of their eyes (and palates).
At the same time, the grueling workdays forced them to be practical in what they ate. They needed something quick and easy to prepare that was also nutritious and would give them energy throughout the day. Thus Erureka! chaufa rice was born, the first and most emblematic chifa dish.
Other recipes followed and Peruvians began to learn about these delicious culinary experiments. Chifa food became so popular that restaurants began to open in various parts of the country, and by the turn of the 20th century, all of Peru loved these flavors.
Chifa food then became a staple of everyday life for all Peruvians. Today, every household eats it at least three times a week, whether it is prepared at home (each family giving it their own personal touch), or buying it in one of the thousands of chifa restaurants in Peru, and that’s not all! These establishments are already beginning to expand around the world. It is impossible to keep Peruvian food locked up! And why do it? It is truly wonderful!
Discover the chifa dishes that will make you see hearts
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Chifa food has a good variety of dishes. To give you a brief tour of the most famous ones, we will take the must-try dishes from the menu of our Chifa Du Kang restaurants, a chifa food chain with a great tradition in Peru that today has expanded to the United States with two restaurants in Miami.
These are our best sellers recipes:
- Chaufa rice: we already told you its history. It is a rice sautéed in a wok seasoned with eggs, soy sauce, aji panca and other spices. At Chifa Du Kang we make it in six presentations: with meat, with pork, with chicken, with seafood, with vegetables, special, and a last one that is a house specialty and is not on the menu, but you can order it with confidence (only our regulars know that we make it). It is a Peruvian classic, the chaufa Aeropuerto, which in addition to having “everything”, is topped with a fried egg.
- Lomo saltado: This is beef sautéed in a wok with soy sauce, paprika, chili, red onion, tomato and as a garnish, always white rice and french fries. It is a Peruvian signature dish that was born from the wonderful encounter with Chinese food. If you consider yourself a foodie of Latin American gastronomy, this is a dish that cannot be missing in your curriculum of flavors tasted.
- Chicken tipakay and chicken chijaukay: These two dishes are almost identical twins. What is the difference? The first is salty and the second is sweet and sour. They are the most classic (and tasty) in terms of chifa chicken dishes. They have oyster sauce, ginger and other seasonings. They are usually served with a side of chaufa rice. The only way to define your favorite (everyone in Peru is a fan of one or the other), is to try both.
- Wantan soup: with chicken, pork, stuffed wantan, Chinese cabbage, Chinese noodles, ginger and chopped Chinese onion and other ingredients. It has a characteristic spicy touch. You can order it as a starter or as a main dish, since it is very filling. It is a very comforting and nutritious meal that we in Peru love to keep close by. At Chifa Du Kang our chef adds a special touch with the secret family recipe.
Are you in Miami, FL and still don’t know these dishes? We are on Bird Road and Kendall Drive
At Chifa Du Kang we have decided to make this delicious Peruvian gastronomic secret known in beautiful Miami. And not only to our compatriots who live here, but especially to those who have never tasted these flavors. The world has to know!
Chifa food is the cultural heritage of two ancestral peoples and it is a delight. It appeals to young and old and has options for all preferences and palates. Those who have tasted it know it.
