It is one of the most loved and consumed dishes in Peru and it is also a perfect blend of flavors. We are referring to lomo saltado, an emblematic recipe of the national gastronomy with an exciting history that unites two cultures.
The Peruvian lomo saltado, a beef stew that mixes native and oriental ingredients with a specific cooking technique, in a mash of daily consumption in all Peruvian homes. Have you ever heard about this delicious recipe? If you still don’t know it, in this post we will tell you more. Let’s get it started!
Peruvian Lomo Saltado: how a succulent story began
The world knows that in Peru we are lovers of good food, we are foodies by nature; our dishes are known all over the world and our country is a five-star gastronomic destination; and although our emblematic dishes have been internationalized, we still keep in our menu some secrets that until recently we wanted to keep only for ourselves. One of them is the lomo saltado peruano.
Lomo saltado is one of the most loved dishes by Peruvians, we love it! It is tasty, nutritious, it is sold in many restaurants and it is also easy to prepare at home.
As a curiosity, we can say that it is one of the few typical Peruvian dishes made with beef. In our gastronomy, chicken, fish and seafood predominate.
The origin of Peruvian lomo saltado dates back to the 19th century, with the arrival of the first Cantonese Chinese migrants to our country. They brought their particular way of cooking food, their seasoning and customs, and adapted to our daily life, initiating a process of miscegenation that put the accent on food.
From the Chinese-Peruvian mixture a unique culinary art was born: the chifa, and within the chifa repertoire the lomo saltado occupies a place of honor. It is beef minced in chunks, seasoned with red onion, tomatoes, aji amarillo paste, soy sauce and sometimes a touch of pisco. White rice and french fries are the usual side dishes.
The mixture of flavors is already exotic and explosive, but what really gives the secret touch to this dish is the way it is cooked: in a wok. That is to say, in a frying pan in the oriental way. This “saltado” (stir-frying) is so decisive that it is exactly what gives the recipe its name.
A recipe you can make at home
The saltado is an easy technique to do in your kitchen if you have the utensils, the ingredients and, of course, the desire to show off to your family or special guests. In fact, preparing a lomo saltado dish for several people will only take you 25 minutes.
You will need a good knife, a chopping board, a wok or pan with a certain depth and height, and a wooden or metal spoon.
As authentic Chinese-Peruvian cooks do, start cooking with all the ingredients on the counter, the meats and vegetables perfectly cut and the ladle in your hands to move the meats and vegetables without stopping. Remember that everything should “pop” in the wok.
Ingredients:
- 500 gr of fine sirloin steak.
- 3 onions.
- 2 yellow chili peppers.
- 4 tomatoes.
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste.
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce.
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce.
- 6 tablespoons beef broth.
- 2 tablespoons pisco or rum.
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar.
- Salt, pepper and cumin to taste.
Preparation step by step
- Step 1:
Cut each tenderloin steak into long strips. The strips are 1 cm or 1.5 cm wide and 4 cm long. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic paste to the cut meat, then marinate for 10 minutes.
- Step 2:
Cut the onions, tomatoes and yellow chilies into wedges. Remove the core from the onion, the seeds from the tomatoes and the chili peppers before cutting them into wedges. The width of the cut is 1 cm. Then finely chop the coriander leaves.
- Step 3:
Over medium heat, heat a frying pan or wok with a little oil. Put the minced meat in the pan and let it sear for about 15 seconds on each side. Add the pisco or rum to the meat and sauté for about 20 seconds.
- Step 4:
Remove the beef strips from the wok and set aside. Add more oil and add the onion to sauté for about 15 seconds; then add the bell peppers and cook for 10 seconds; finally, add the tomatoes for 12 seconds. Add the meat, soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce and a little oregano.
- Step 5:
Continue mixing all the ingredients until they are incorporated and the flavors are unified. Then add the beef or chicken broth and continue stirring all the ingredients for about 10 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the finely chopped cilantro and mix until well blended.
- Step 6:
Serve the Peruvian lomo saltado with french fries and rice.
When preparing the lomo saltado peruano take into account these tips:
- You can cut the meat into cubes if you don’t like it in strips. You choose the size, there is no standard.
- Thyme gives an impressive aroma and flavor to the Peruvian lomo saltado, don’t leave it out!
- The beef or chicken broth is optional. If you feel like it, you can prepare it only with the sauces.
- Every family as well as every restaurant has its own touch and secrets when preparing lomo saltado. You can also add your own by adding elements to the stew, use your creativity!
I’m in Miami and I’m looking for Lomo Saltado near me? Come to Chifa Du Kang!
At Chifa Du Kang we want all of Miami to enjoy an authentic Chinese-Peruvian fusion food experience. We are masters in the preparation of lomo saltado peruano, as well as other dishes that are part of this remarkable mix of flavors.
Come to our restaurants and embark on a journey straight to Peru with dishes that are our best kept secret.
Discover the jewels of our menu, which includes classics such as arroz chaufa de pollo, wantan soup, chicken Chijaukay, and more.
