Peruvian beef stir-fry is fusion cooking at its best

PERU’S lomo saltado is fusion cooking at its easiest and most approachable, a quick stir-fry of soy-marinated beef, tomatoes and hot peppers that reflects the country’s cultural — and culinary —influences, from Incan farmers to Chinese immigrants.

Ancient settlers in the Andes Mountains cultivated peppers and potatoes. Spanish colonizers introduced beef and sheep. Centuries later, an influx of indentured Chinese workers came, bringing ingredients such as soy sauce and ginger, as well as stir-frying.

Chinese-Peruvian cuisine became known as chifa, and lomo saltado is standard on chifa menus (lomo refers to tenderloin, but various cuts of beef are used). Potato wedges usually are mixed in and french fries come on the side.

In the version from our book “Milk Street Tuesday Nights,” which limits recipes to 45 minutes or less, we focus on the meat. It is sliced into strips, marinated in soy sauce, then wok-fried over high heat. We