Lomo Saltado: The Peruvian Stir-Fry That Changed How I Cook Beef

Peru has one of the most genuinely surprising food cultures in the world. Japanese immigrants brought ceviche techniques. Chinese immigrants brought the wok. The result is a cuisine that fuses without apology, and lomo saltado is the best argument for that approach.

French fries in a stir-fry. It sounds wrong. Try it.

The beef

Use sirloin or tenderloin. Slice into thick strips — about a centimeter — against the grain. Season with salt and a splash of soy sauce. Let it sit while you prepare everything else.

High heat is required. This is a dish that needs to cook fast, ideally with a little smoke from the wok. A heavy carbon steel pan or cast iron skillet on the highest heat your stove produces is what you want.

The fries

Make them separately — oven-roasted or fried. They should be hot and relatively crispy before they go into the wok. They soften slightly in the sauce, which is expected. Soggy is a different problem; start with properly cooked fries and they hold up.

The stir-fry

Get the wok or pan screaming hot. Add a tablespoon of oil and let it smoke briefly. Add the beef strips in a single layer and do not touch them for sixty seconds. Let them sear. Toss and continue cooking for another minute until browned but not fully cooked through.

Add a sliced red onion and cook for one minute. Add aji amarillo paste — a tablespoon — and toss. Add a splash of soy sauce, a splash of red wine vinegar, and two large tomatoes cut into wedges. The tomatoes should just barely cook — two minutes maximum. They should hold their shape.

Add the fries and toss to coat everything in the sauce. The whole stir-fry from meat to finish should take about eight minutes.

Serve

Over white rice, with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. The combination of soy-sour sauce, soft tomato, barely-softened fry, and rare beef is the point. Eat it immediately while the temperature contrast is still there.