A South American cuisine of potatoes, ceviche, and aji peppers, where ancient Inca staples met Spanish, African, Chinese, and Japanese immigrant kitchens.
What it is
Peruvian cuisine is one of the great fusion kitchens of the world. Inca staples — potato, corn, quinoa, and a dozen kinds of chili — met Spanish colonial cooking after 1532, then absorbed Cantonese and Japanese waves of 19th- and 20th-century migration. Lima’s “Chifa” Chinese-Peruvian and “Nikkei” Japanese-Peruvian cuisines are recognized cooking styles in themselves.
How it tastes
Bright lime cures most seafood; aji amarillo gives the cuisine its golden chili glow; soy sauce — sillao — finishes wok-stir-fries in the Chifa tradition. Cilantro and garlic perfume nearly every plate.
Signature dishes & techniques
Ceviche — fish marinated in lime juice with onion, cilantro, and aji — is the national dish, declared so by the Peruvian government in 2004. Lomo saltado, stir-fried beef with onions, tomatoes, soy sauce, and french fries, was invented in 19th-century Chifa kitchens. Causa limeña, a layered cold cake of yellow potato, is the country’s signature appetizer.
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Peruvian starts with P and ends with N. Browse other cuisines along the same letter.
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