One of Peru’s flagship dishes owes its origins to the creativity of Chinese immigrants. Few recipes tell the tale of a country’s history the way Peru’s lomo saltado does. Stir-fried strips of sirloin are cooked in a wok with slices of tomatoes and red onions, and then heavily seasoned with cumin – a spice originally brought over by the Spanish conquistadors – a yellow chili pepper found only in Peru, and some soy sauce, first imported to the Andean nation by Chinese labourers a century ago.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced into strips
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Green onions, sliced, for garnish
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions:
Marinate the steak:
In a bowl, combine the sliced steak with soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, ground cumin, and black pepper. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the wok:
Heat vegetable oil in a wok or a large skillet over high heat.
Sear the steak:
Add the marinated steak to the hot wok and sear quickly until browned. Remove the steak from the wok and set it aside.
Stir-fry vegetables:
In the same wok, add a bit more oil if needed. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
Add the sliced red onion, yellow bell pepper, and tomato wedges. Stir-fry until the vegetables are slightly tender but still crisp.
Combine steak and vegetables:
Return the seared steak to the wok and toss everything together. Ensure the steak is cooked to your desired level of doneness.
Final seasoning:
Adjust the seasoning if necessary. You can add more soy sauce or black pepper to taste.
Garnish and serve:
Garnish the Chinese-inspired Lomo Saltado with chopped fresh cilantro and sliced green onions.
Serve the Lomo Saltado over cooked white rice.
Serve the Chinese-inspired Lomo Saltado hot and enjoy this delicious fusion of Chinese and Peruvian flavours!
Feel free to customise the recipe based on your preferences, and don’t hesitate to add a bit of spice or additional vegetables to suit your taste.
ALSO TRY: China, Chao Faan – Fried Rice
