By Stefanie Ellis
Photograph by Katherine Bish
No bookstore in town had a Peruvian cookbook. Normally, that wouldn’t have been a problem. It’s not as if I had the time (or the desire) to make ceviche, raw fish “cooked” in citrus juice. And considering my skill at burning ready-made cookie dough, I wasn’t even going to try to make empanadas or tacutacu, a hearty stew of chicken, potatoes and turmeric. I just wanted to understand what the cuisine—and the culture—was all about.
So I did the next best thing: I went to Mango, St. Louis’ only Peruvian restaurant, and found many of the items I’d read about online and in the one cookbook I managed to wrangle from a foodie friend.
Common dishes. All the usual suspects were at our table, such as cancha (roasted corn kernels), chifles (fried plantains) and zarza, Peru’s popular condiment made of red onions, lime juice and tomatoes. A hint of lime was drizzled on our salad of avocados and queso fresco, and several Peruvian specialties were on the menu, including lomo saltado, steak with onions, tomatoes and French fries; and aji de gallina, shredded chicken in a sauce of aji peppers, walnuts, milk and Parmesan cheese.
Rich in resources, Peru’s three geographic regions—the Amazon rain forest, the coastal region and the Andean highlands—provide exotic fruits, abundant fish and seafood and hearty staples like potatoes and aji peppers.
Culinary influences. The cuisine is influenced by several ethnic groups, particularly the Spanish, who occupied Peru for more than three centuries. A fusion cuisine, known as criollo, gradually developed, infusing Spanish staples such as olives, grapes, cheese and rice with Peruvian staples, among them potatoes and peppers. The Spaniards brought African slaves, and, after independence, European immigrants came to Peru, further broadening the cuisine. Between 1849 and 1874, 100,000 Chinese immigrants arrived, which led to Peru’s having the most Chinese restaurants in South America—over 2,000—known as chifas. And when the Japanese arrived at the turn of the century, they showcased the utility of raw fish, which became the foundation of one of Peru’s most popular dishes, ceviche.
We recommend. Make sure to try papa la huancaina, potatoes served with a spicy cheese sauce; and chicha morada, a sweet, spicy drink made of purple corn.
Where to eat: Mango Peruvian Restaurant, 7307 Watson, 314-752-8300
Where to shop: La Tropicana Market, 5001 Lindenwood, 314-353-7328
