July 2015 – Blanca Valencia

Peru in South America is the homeland of genuine fusion food. Without any artifice, the country’s foods are a result of a history in which extensive Chinese, Japanese, native Indian, Italian and Spanish influence have given birth to one of the most original cuisines in the world. There are abundant Chinese restaurants called “chifa” from the Chinese chi fan, “criollo” ones with traditional foods, Japanese fusion and indigenous foods ones. High-end Peruvian restaurants are opening in all major cities and Gaston Acurio, one of the country’s legendary chefs is quickly becoming world-renowned. Visiting Peru is the food adventure of a lifetime and you can also include a trip to Machu Picchu, the sacred site of the Incas, or fly over the Nazca Lines, a series of giant designs carved on the soil.

Ceviche is Peru’s national dish. Four ingredients are all you need to make the basic version of this dish: fish, lime juice, onion and salt. This version uses cooked seafood but the majority of ceviche recipes are made with raw fish.

Ceviche

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 boiled medium sweet potatoes
1 boiled or steamed corn on the cob
250 g ounces squid, cut into rings, tentacles chopped
250 g peeled shrimp
250 g scallops
1 red onion, medium
1 green chili or similar
6 limes, juiced*
salt

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add salt. Cook the squid by putting in the water and cooking it for one minute approximately. Take out and put aside.

Cook the shrimp using the same method as above. Take out and put aside to cool.

Next cook the scallops. Take out and put aside.

Slice the onion thinly and wash with salt**. Chop the chili. Mix the seafood with the lime juice, the onion, the chili and the salt together and add some ice cubes to refresh.

Serve decorated with the sweet potato slices and the corn.

*you can use lemons instead if limes are unavailable.

**to wash the onion put sliced onion on colander and sprinkle with salt.

Wash, rinse and drain.

Bar going to catering college, there is no better way to learn how to cook Chinese food than from an ayi, which literally translates as auntie, is a maid or a nanny. Chinese has an endearing array of terms to refer to people in a courteous manner. For example, if a little girl meets a girl who is older she calls her jie jie (big sister) and vice versa older girls call younger girls mei mei. Furthermore most children call their elders respectfully ayi and shushu (uncle).

When expat families move to China, most are looking for babysitters but realize those services are not offered in China where for every child there are normally 6 adults in his/her family. Who a needs a babysitter with 4 readily available grandparents? There is no word for babysitter in China that is why when you ask for one you might get a high chair or baby chair instead! You can find however nannies and that is what some ayis are.

I grew up with ayis of sorts during my childhood in Latin America since my mother had zero interest in cooking and household chores but loved to eat well.

I grew up watching our “ayis” making local foods in our kitchen and that is what undoubtedly sparked my passion for food. By the time I was a teenager I knew all the local dishes and ingredients and our fridge had even stored iguanas that my mother used as an ointment on scars following local customs.

Since our move to China entailed small children and a strong determination to take language classes, we decided to get an ayi. Little did we know how important this would be helping us settle in Dalian. Not only is our ayi a nanny, she is our Chinese teacher, chef, babysitter and our go-to person to understand where to get things and how much to pay.

But for me she has opened a door to the world of Chinese home cooking. As a cooking teacher with a keen interest in ethnic foods this has proved invaluable since home cooking is not always easy to learn, as an expat. Not all ayis are gifted cooks but some especially women in their late 40s and 50s are. If you have an ayi and an interest in Chinese food here are some things you can do:

Go to the local market with her and buy some unusual vegetables that she can cook for you.
Go to see street food stalls and then ask her to recreate some of the recipes.
Buy some Chinese cookbooks and ask her to make some recipes.
Ask her to make jiaozi with your children.
Buy some unsual herb or root of Chinese medicine and then ask her to cook it for you.
Ask her for recommendations for Chinese food for children. These have become staples in my kitchen.

I know not everyone needs an ayi or even wants one but for those of us with families intent on learning about Chinese food and culture it is a great option. Even if you don’t have one, ask someone else’s ayi or a Chinese friend to come and show you how to make jiaozi one afternoon.

Fast Chive, Pork and Shrimp Jiaozi

Serves 4

Ingredients

100 g of pork
100 g of shrimp
handful of chinese chives (jiu cai)
salt
2 tbsp. of vegetable oil.
36 store-bought jiaozi wrappers*

To Serve

Chinkiang black vinegar
Soy sauce
Chili oil
Garlic paste

Peel the shrimp and chop until ground with a cleaver or knife.

Chop chives. Mix chives, shrimp and pork. Add salt and oil. Mix well.

Put a large of pot of water to boil. Prepare a little bowl of cold water to seal the edges of the jiaozi.

Put jiaozi wrapper in your hand and fill with about 1 tbsp. of the pork, shrimp mixture pressing down. Dip finger in water and run it around edges of the wrapper.

Then seal the wrapper trying to get all the air out. You can also do some pleats to close. Don’t worry about the appearance as long as they are tightly closed!

Dust a tray with flour. Put on tray as you make them.

Drop some of the jiaozi in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. As you are cooking them if the water comes to a boil add a cup of cold water so they don’t fall apart. Do this each time the water comes to a boil. Remove with slotted spoon and repeat with rest of jiaozi. Serve with sauces and garlic and enjoy!

*most supermarkets sell jiaozi wrappers. They are made in-store together with fresh noodles.