food
peru, meet
JAPAN!
Two fish-loving nations get together in the kitchen, with delicious results. By Donna Rolando
There are chefs who cringe at the word “fusion” for its whiff of shallow trendiness. But whatever you call it, tasty things can happen when two cuisines collide, and one of the hottest such combos these days is Peruvian/ Japanese fare. After making waves in Europe, this food phenomenon is catching on in cities like Miami and New York, and one taste of it will probably make you glad the two traditions met. This may be just the gastronomic sizzle you need to lift you out of your dining rut or make an impression on date night. The name Nikkei describes a population of Japanese who immigrated to Peru in the late 19th century, along with their descendants. But in time the word has also come to signify their cuisine itself, a reflection of life and culture built into recipes over generations that runs deeper than the word fusion might suggest. It is no stranger to mainstream Peruvian kitchens. We know that mere proximity—as with oil and water—does not make the right mix for any recipe, let alone many. So what is it about the marriage of spicy Peruvian and delicate Japanese cuisine that warrants your taste buds’ immediate attention? The answer lies under the sea. The two cultures have in common a heavy reliance on fresh fish in the diet, and the Japanese have put their own take on Peruvian ingredients, such as limes, corn, aji chili peppers, yucca and potatoes. Even the Peruvian staple ceviche has been reshaped in Japanese kitchens in a process that shaves hours off its prep time. Yes, Nikkei has flourished in the South American melting pot that is Peru, a land known for a bounty of cultural influences in the kitchen that have contributed to its reputation for world-class fine dining. The fact that the Nikkei eatery Maido in Lima recently ranked No. 7 on the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list, judged by a panel of 1,000+ culinary experts, says a lot. Yet if you live in the States, Nikkei is likely to have escaped your radar or hidden itself on the menu under the heading of Japanese-style dishes. (Do Japanese curry-filled empanadas ring any bells? If so, you may have already sampled Nikkei.) Surprisingly for a country always searching for the next food revolution, America has been slow to jump on this culinary bandwagon, but restaurants such as Midtown Manhattan’s Sen Sakana (which translates to “one thousand fish”) are working hard to change that. Step inside Sen Sakana and you’ll find flavorful combinations, such as crispy seafood with salsa criolla or quinoa-crusted chicken breast with black vinegar nanban sauce, and sides that include corn, asparagus and Japanese sweet potato. The fact that octopus and eel are featured on the menu is a mark of the Japanese influence. The Japanese raw fish dish tiradito is an example of where “sashimi meets ceviche” in a Peruvian yellow pepper mango sauce. If Nikkei has more history than some combo cuisines, it’s also true that it’s still evolving. Says Sen Sakana: “It is a cuisine whose identity is constantly being redefined and enriched, making it an exciting one to work with.”
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OTHER FUSIONS TO TRY Peruvian/Japanese cuisine, known as Nikkei, is just one example of the creative blending of two food traditions. These other cultural combinations are also worth sampling at some mealtime very soon: GREEK/AMERICAN What it is: The evolution of Greek cuisine prepared by Greek-Americans and their offspring under the influence of American culture. What to try: A Greek-American gyro with meat (perhaps lamb), olive oil, tomatoes, onions, french fries and tzatziki sauce (yogurt, garlic and cucumber) served as we’ve come to expect it to be—in a pita so crammed that two hands are required. A Greek-American taverna is also a good place to discover pastitsio, baked layers of thick pasta with ground meat; or souvlaki, chunks of meat and sometimes veggies served on a skewer. EAST ASIAN/ITALIAN What it is: It’s not just about the noodles, although that is an obvious connection between Italy and East Asian lands such as Japan or China. A culinary philosophy is also shared: letting ingredients stand out for their own qualities. What to try: Spaghetti with miso or linguine with tomato and uni (Japanese for sea urchin), the latter being no stranger to today’s restaurant menus across the country. Or go beyond noodles to indulge in a head-on fish prepared with Italian Castelvetrano olives, capers, Cantonese ginger and scallion. LEBANESE/MEXICAN What it is: Lebanese immigrants to Mexico have fused their culinary style into Mexican cuisine, even creating their own taco—the al pastor—among many novel dishes. What to try: Don’t be surprised on your travels through Mexico to find Lebanese-inspired kibbeh, a turnover-like fried dough fritter packed with minced ground beef and chopped onion. Or you can sample taquitos de parra, made of grape or cabbage leaves stuffed with ground meat, rice and garlic. JAMAICAN/PHILIPPINE What it is: The culinary influence of Asians who immigrated to Jamaica over the last century. What to try: Whole jerk roast duck flavored with Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice.
KILGO RE TRO UT FALL/W INTE R 2019
8/5/19 9:26 AM
