Arroz Chaufa
Arroz chaufa is the Peruvian name for a style of Chinese fried rice that became its own distinct dish through the kitchens of the Tusán community — descendants of Chinese laborers who arrived in Peru from the mid-19th century onward. The word chaufa comes from the Cantonese chow fan, meaning fried rice, and the dish carries that lineage clearly: the technique is Chinese, but the ingredients shift with the Peruvian pantry. The rice is day-old and cold, fried over high heat with eggs, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, then tossed with beef, chicken, or pork. Sesame oil and sometimes oyster sauce, added at the end, distinguish it from other Asian fried rices. It is served in chifa restaurants — Peruvian-Chinese establishments — as much as in everyday home kitchens.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500g long-grain rice, cooked and cooled (preferably day-old)
- 300g chicken breast or pork loin, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 6 spring onions, white parts finely sliced, green parts reserved
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 20g fresh ginger, finely minced
- 60ml soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 60ml neutral vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ají amarillo paste (or 1/2 tsp chili powder)
- Salt and white pepper to taste
How to make it
- 1Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt; heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat, pour in the eggs, and quickly make a thin omelette by stirring; tip onto a plate and cut into small cubes; set aside.
- 2With the wok very hot, add another 1 tbsp oil; stir-fry the meat with a pinch of salt for 3–4 minutes, until browned at the edges and cooked through; move to the plate with the eggs.
- 3Pour the remaining vegetable oil into the wok and heat until it just begins to smoke; add the garlic, ginger, and bell pepper, and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- 4Add the white parts of the spring onions and the ají amarillo paste; stir-fry for 30 seconds, letting the flavours infuse the oil.
- 5Add the cold rice; use a spatula to break it into small pieces, pressing it against the bottom of the wok between tosses for 3–4 minutes, until every grain is separate and you hear a slight sizzle.
- 6Pour the soy sauce and oyster sauce over the rice, tossing for 1 minute to distribute evenly and pick up colour; return the meat and egg to the wok.
- 7Turn off the heat; drizzle with the sesame oil and add the green parts of the spring onions; season with white pepper; serve immediately, hot, straight from the wok.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
