Chaufa amazónico de quinoa
Peruvian fried rice but instead with quinoa and flavors of the Amazon.
6|30|21
Peruvians and Chinese people, particularly Cantonese of southern China, have a long shared history that to no surprise influenced their food and ultimately developed into a cherished cuisine known as Chifa. This Chinese-Peruvian fusion of traditional Chinese dishes with Peruvian ingredient substitutes came to be as a result of Chinese folks who arrived in coastal Peru in the late 1800s to work in some of the most undesirable and toughest industries. Chinese immigrants worked the sugar plantations, mined bat guano, and built railroads. Sadly, many of the workers labored under terrible conditions, even forced labor. The workers that survived and stayed in Peru further grew this cuisine which became a hit amongst Peruvians. Chifa restaurants would later open, as well as a thriving Chinatown that still goes strong in Lima.
Arroz chaufa, or Peruvian fried rice, comes from the Cantonese word chaofan meaning fried rice. Colloquially referred to as chaufa, Peruvian fried rice is found in a couple of variations reflecting the influence of the region it has made its way to. The typical ingredients found in chaufa are white rice, soy sauce, egg, green onion, ginger, red bell pepper, garlic, and sesame oil. But for this recipe I made it Amazonian style with the addition of ripe plantains. Swapping the rice for quinoa makes the dish equally as delicious in my opinion. Both white rice and quinoa are light enough in flavor that they absorb all the other flavors of the dish making quinoa a good substitution if you want to switch it up or turn it into a more nutritious meal.
Chaufa Amazónico de Quinoa Recipe
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed
3 Tablespoons neutral cooking oil
6 large eggs, beaten
4 celery stalks plus leaves (My personal addition. I LOVE celery.), small diced
One red bell pepper, small diced
Half purple onion, small diced
10 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoon chili flakes or peppers of choice if you want heat
2 ripe plantain, medium diced
1/2 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons chicken powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Roughly 1/3 cup of cilantro leaves loosely packed and roughly chopped
5 green onion, medium chopped
2-3 teaspoons sesame oil or to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a medium pot on medium heat place 1/4 teaspoon oil and cook the quinoa for 2 min. Add 3 cups of water, mix, and turn heat to high allowing it to come to a boil. Once it starts boiling immediately put a lid on and lower the heat to the lowest setting. Don’t check or stir the quinoa for at least 15 minutes.
In a medium-size pan on medium-high heat add 1-2 teaspoons of oil and once hot add the eggs and scramble them. Remove the eggs from the pan and set them aside.
In the same pan, on medium-high heat with 1-2 teaspoons of oil, add the celery, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook for about 2 min or until it begins to soften then remove and place aside with the eggs.
In the same pan, add another 1-2 teaspoons of oil and cook the plantain until golden. Add back into the pan the eggs and veggies and then add the cooked quinoa.
Cook and toss everything with the soy sauce and chicken powder for 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and then turn off the heat.
Immediately add the cilantro, green onion, and sesame oil.
Done. ; ) Enjoy.