In recent years, a “mix-and-match trend” has swept through the international food circle – Fusion Cuisine is becoming the new favorite of foodies. When foodies grow tired of a single flavor, this kind of creative cuisine that breaks geographical boundaries and plays with ingredients and techniques always brings surprises. Unlike traditional cuisines, fusion cuisine has no historical baggage. Instead, it can freely combine the flavors of different cultures in a random way, creating new tastes that are truly astonishing.
When it comes to “Nikkei”, many food experts scratch their heads: one is at the eastern end of Asia, the other is on the west coast of South America, separated by the entire Pacific Ocean. What kind of spark can these two create? But interestingly, Peru has a large Japanese community, and their food culture has quietly changed the taste genes of Peru.
This story begins more than a hundred years ago. At the end of the 19th century, Peru, which had just gained independence, was in urgent need of labor, while Japan after the Meiji Restoration was worried about having too many people and too little land. Just like this, a large number of Japanese immigrants crossed the ocean and came to Peru. The word “Nikkei” originally referred to these Japanese immigrants, just as it is interesting that Chinese restaurants in Peru are all called “Chifa” (derived from the Chinese word” eat “).
Peru was originally a “gourmet United Kingdom” – indigenous people, Spanish colonists, African slaves, Chinese and Japanese immigrants all left their “taste signatures” here. Japanese immigrants found that the ingredients of their hometown were hard to find, but they were opened up a new world by novel ingredients such as avocados, yellow peppers and quinoa. Fortunately, Peru’s abundant seafood can at least soothe their homesick stomachs.
Thus, “Nikkei” cuisine is like a delicious chemical reaction: Japanese culinary skills meet Peruvian ingredients, giving birth to astonishing new varieties. The seafood here is still amazing, but paired with Peruvian limes, multicolored corn, and potatoes of various colors…… The delicacy of Japanese cuisine meets the boldness of South America, just like a perfect taste tango.
The most classic “hybrid” is undoubtedly “Ceviche” (fish marinated in lime juice). Japanese foodies will surely be stunned when they first see this dish: Why is the sashimi sour? Does the fish meat look cooked? What’s the background of those colorful side dishes at the bottom of the plate?
The magic of this dish lies in “Tiger Milk” (Leche de tigre) – a secret sauce made with lime juice and yellow peppers. The sourness makes the fish protein “pretend to be fully cooked”, and then after being gently kissed by the flame, the oily aroma of the salmon bursts out instantly. Finally, it is served with roasted corn, pickled Onions and seaweed puree, just like dressing the reserved Japanese cuisine in a Latin dance dress. It retains its elegant nature while adding a touch of spicy charm.
Here, sushi also plays a metachage: the rice might be replaced with quinoa or mashed potatoes, and the fillings are hidden with “South American spies” like mangoes and avocados. When dipping in the sauce, have some Peruvian specialty sauce. No problem at all, “second-generation sushi immigrants”. Even the Nanban fried chicken in Nishizaki Prefecture has its crispness upgraded to a Pro version after using quinoa instead of breadcrumbs!
Some people call this “creative Japanese cuisine”, while others call it a “traitor of deliciousness”. But within these plates of fusion dishes lies the friendship story of two ethnic groups crossing the ocean. It seems that “cross-border marriages” in the culinary world sometimes can spark more brilliant ideas than cultural romances. In pursuit of deliciousness, humans have truly taken the spirit of “foodies have no borders” to the extreme!
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Post time: May-08-2025