Peruvian Dish
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- marinade:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- main ingredients:
- 6 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 lbs flank steaks cut in half, then sliced into 1/2 inch strips
- 1 large red onion cut in half and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 4 large tomatoes cut into 8 wedges each
- 4 jalapeno peppers seeded and julienned (use less for milder taste)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- serve with:
- 1 lb french fries
- Carbohydrate 32.4779892396667 g
- Cholesterol 52.9191098333333 mg
- Fat 20.850146887 g
- Fiber 4.49779855992829 g
- Protein 36.6485962283333 g
- Saturated Fat 5.81660698821875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (439g)
- Sodium 692.506125866667 mg
- Sugar 27.9801906797384 g
- Trans Fat 2.20908190561042 g
- Calories 441 calories
Step-by-step
- Day Before: Marinade flank steak with olive oil, soy sauce and 4 cloves of garlic, crushed.
- Cook french fries according to directions (I did this towards the end and reheated the main dish).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the beef and cook until it browns, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, stir to combine and remove meat and juices to a bowl and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to wok and let it heat then cook the onions for about 3 minutes, tossing constantly. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and cook until it evaporates, about 1 minute.
- Remove onions from wok and set aside with meat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to wok and let it heat then cook the tomatoes until they begin to soften. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar and cook, sitrring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated. (I removed as many of the tomato skins as I could with wooden spoon).
- Add the meat and onions back into the wok along with the soy sauce and jalapenos. Cook until heated through.
- Remove from heat and add the cilantro.
- Serve with french fries on top.
Marinating the flank steak a full twenty-four hours ahead allows the soy sauce and crushed garlic to deeply penetrate the fibers of the meat, transforming the protein before it ever touches the heat. Lomo Saltado bridges centuries of culinary heritage by combining traditional Indigenous ingredients with Cantonese wok techniques introduced by nineteenth-century Chinese immigrants to Peru. Achieving the signature smoky flavor requires heating a carbon steel or cast iron wok over high heat until wisps of smoke appear, ensuring the beef sears rather than stews in its own juices. While traditionally prepared with beef and served over french fries and white rice, the base flavor profile of red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and aromatics adapts easily to portobello mushroom caps or firm tofu for vegetarian diets. Storing components separately in airtight containers for up to three days prevents the french fries from becoming entirely soggy, though cold leftovers can also be repurposed inside morning breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs.
