Have you ever tried nikkei cuisine? If not, read on.
A trip to Peru is all about a lively blend of everything, and Peruvian food is another example that reflects the variety of the Peruvian culture.Peruvian cuisine combines European influences with some Asian and African flavors brought in by the immigrants who arrived in Peru.
At the end of the 19th century, there was a treaty between Japan and Peru, and according to which about 800 Japanese workers traveled to work in this beautiful country.
Peru has the second-largest Japanese group in diaspora located in South America, which is why Japanese food and culinary techniques have strongly influenced the traditional Peruvian cooking style.
You see the Japanese word nikkei means “Japanese emigrants or descendants thereof who are not a citizen of Japan”.
The Nikkei cuisine is an infusion between the Japanese and Peruvian cuisines with unique and tasty flavors that everyone would enjoy.
In this article, we’ll talk about the highlights of this type of cuisine, where it originated from, and one of its most impressive dishes.
What is Nikkei Cuisine?
Nikkei cuisine refers to the Peruvian cooking style with some Japanese influences and ingredients that make food look and taste different. Nikkei is a word that is used to refer to the descendants of Japanese immigrants who left their country and lived in other parts of the world. The same word is used to refer to this infusion cuisine that highlights some of the original Japanese flavors as they combine with traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Simply stated, Nikkei food refers to food that combines the features of Japanese dishes and Peruvian dishes in layered nikkei recipes that taste different from the traditional ones.
Today, there are about 90,000 Peruvians of Japanese origins living in Peru, which is why the Nikkei cuisine has become quite popular.
As Peruvian food became popular and started to spread worldwide due to the distinctive flavors, people were also interested in trying the unique Nikkei flavors.
For some people, this infusion cuisine is a diplomacy tool that shows how the two cultures are strongly connected.
Today there are hundreds of Nikkei restaurants that serve Nikkei food around the globe.
In some cases, it’s credited as Japanese food, while in others, it’s marketed as Peruvian food. The truth is that it’s hard to put a label on this cuisine as it combines both Japanese influence and Peruvian influence equally, creating a unique blend.
The Nikkei cuisine’s main ingredients are fish, quinoa, and Peruvian ingredients like aji panca and aji amarillo peppers, but the Japanese culinary style adds a twist.
Tropical fish are thinly sliced, and sesame oil and seeds are added on top of the dish like traditional sashimi for a unique flavor, while the Peruvian hot spices are unmistakable.
Nikkei tradition is a diplomatic dialogue between two cultures, modifying ingredients and cooking techniques from the two cuisines to create a distinctive taste.
What is the History of Nikkei Cuisine?
By the end of the 19th century, lots of Japanese started to travel to South America.
The expansion of sugar plantations represented a good work opportunity for Japanese immigrants who arrived in boats to live in Peru.
With their arrival, they brought in elements from their rich culture, and one of them was the distinctive culinary Japanese techniques that reminded them of home.
After their contracts were over, many Japanese immigrants decided to stay in Peru.
They married Peruvian women, and opened restaurants to sell food instead of going back to their country.
They wanted to sell food that catered to the local Peruvian palate while using their Japanese cooking techniques to add a favorable twist.
Thanks to Nikkei, seafood became more popular in Peru. Typically, fish was only consumed when nothing else was available, but Nikkei added the needed twist to Peruvian seafood dishes and made them more desirable.
The Japanese found out that the ceviche that the Peruvians loved reminded them of their traditional food, and they managed to expand on this recipe by adding a few Japanese ingredients and some of their delicious cooking techniques.
Some of the ingredients that were originally used in Japanese food were replaced with Peruvian ingredients that they could easily obtain.
The Japanese and Peruvian cuisines heavily rely on fish, which is usually served raw. According to the traditional Peruvian cooking style, raw fish is usually pickled or cured in lemon or lime juice.
In Japanese cooking, sashimi also depends on raw fish, which has been thinly sliced.
Peruvian food is known for combining bold flavors on the same plate. From hot and cold ingredients to strong and delicate tastes, Peruvian dishes have become extremely popular.
Today, several restaurants serve Nikkei dishes to add this unique twist that you’re unlikely to find except in this unique infusion cuisine.
Nikkei vs Chifa Cuisine
Nikkei is different from the Chifa cuisine, which is based on Chinese Cantonese elements combined with the traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Sweet and sour sauces, noodles, fried rice, meat, and chicken are all staples in Chifa and are quite common in restaurants that serve this Chinese Peruvian infusion food. These ingredients are different from the ones you can find in Nikkei restaurants.
The nikkei peruvian japanese cuisine kept on evolving, becoming quite popular in the 1970s, where it managed to combine the spicy and zesty tastes of Peru with the sophistication of the Japanese cuisine.
Spicy Peruvian sauces were added to the Japanese soy sauce to create the signature Nikkei cuisine.
How is Nikkei Food Made?
Different types of potatoes that are widely used in Peruvian dishes were combined with lime, corn, aji peppers, and fish to provide the delicacy of the Japanese food with the spiciness of the Peruvian cuisine.
The traditional avocado is sometimes replaced with tofu, and dried nori replaces tortilla chips for a crunchy addition.
At first glance, Nikkei food usually looks Japanese, but once you take the first bite, it’s impossible to miss the Peruvian flavors.
Tuna Ceviche with Togarashi
Tuna ceviche with togarashi and radish is a tasty Nikkei dish that infuses the tastes of traditional ceviche with a Japanese twist by adding togarashi, which combines several traditional Japanese spices.
The nikkei dish takes about 2 hours to prepare, and this amount is enough for 4 servings.
You can also prepare it one day in advance if you want to impress your guests with a tasty appetizer or lunch.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces of fresh and thinly sliced tuna fillet
- ½ teaspoon of togarashi
- 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
- 1 small ripe avocado
- 2 small radishes
- 1 tablespoon of minced ajì limo
- 2 tablespoons of puffed brown rice
- ¼ cup of sliced shallot
- 1 cup of leche de tigre (a spicy citrus marinade)
- 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon of wasabi paste
- Salt and white pepper
- Finely chopped seaweed for garnish (optional)
Steps
- Rinse the tuna and pat dry. Cut the slices into ½ inch by ½ inch squares or 2 inches by ½ inch strips and spread on a baking sheet, then cover with parchment paper so that the tuna doesn’t dry. Chill uncovered for 2 hours and up to 1 day in advance.
- Peel and finely slice the radishes and place the slices into a bowl of ice water. Cut the avocado into bite-size pieces and place between 2 layers of plastic wrap to prevent the avocado from turning brown.
- Mix the leche de tigre with togarashi, sesame oil, soy sauce, and wasabi paste to create the dish’s spicy sauce. Adjust the spiciness according to your personal preference.
- Mix the tuna pieces with the salt and pepper in a chilled bowl. Add the cilantro, the shallot, and the ají limo.
- For presentation, place the tuna mix on a cold plate. Add the avocado and radish slices. Top the mixture with the puffed rice and seaweed garnish, then pour the sauce on top. Serve cold.
Peruvian Dishes Perfect for Nikkei Cuisine
Some traditional Peruvian foods are ideal to take on the Nikkei influence.
Here are a few Peruvian dishes that are quite common;
Where to Try Nikkei Cuisine
Whether in the United States or other western countries you’ll be happy to know that nikkei cuisine has become quite popular and most likely available in your area.
A quick search on Google should point you in the right direction.
However, if you are lucky enough to be living or traveling to Peru there’s nothing better than trying Japanese Peruvian cuisine made by authentic nikkei chefs. Some of the best places are;
- Osaka – also have locations in Miami & London
- Matsuei
- Maido
- Enkai Cocina Nikkei
Final Nikkei Peruvian Japanese Cuisine Thoughts
In the late 19th century there was an influx of Japanese people to Peru resulting in the birth of Nikkei cuisine.
Nikkei is a delicious and unique fusion cuisine that combines influences from Peruvian and Japanese culture.
The traditional Peruvian ingredients were infused with the classic Japanese sauces and spices in a tasty mix that you can enjoy in Peru or any Nikkei restaurant worldwide.
If Nikkei cuisine sounds like it’s for you, be sure to try Tiradito, perhaps the most famous of all the Nikkei dishes.
And don’t forget dessert! Check out 9 Peruvian Desserts You’ll Die For and you may just discover your new favorite sweet treat.
Shop Amazon for hard to find Latin ingredients and to shop for imported Peruvian foods and drinks.
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.