Chifa

{{Short description|Chinese Cantonese and Peruvian fusion culinary tradition}} {{Italic title}}{{Cuisine of China}} {{For|decorative buses in Colombia|chiva bus}} [[File:Lomo Saltado, Lima, Peru.JPG|thumb|''Lomo saltado'' originated as a ''chifa'' dish and became part of mainstream cuisine.<ref name=comercio2011may29>{{cite news |url=https://elcomercio.pe/gastronomia/peruana/jugosa-historia-lomo-saltado-plato-fruto-mestizaje-noticia-764063 |title=La jugosa historia del lomo saltado, un plato fruto del mestizaje: Tal como lo conocemos hoy, se trata de un plato relativamente joven que vio la luz gracias a la fusión de sabores de la cocina peruana y china |newspaper=El Comercio (Peru) |date=29 May 2011 |first=Martín |last=Acosta González |language=es |trans-title=The juicy story lomo saltado, a dish result of crossbreeding: As we know it today, it is a relatively young dish which was created by the fusion of flavors of Peruvian and Chinese Cuisines}}</ref>]] '''''Chifa''''' is a Chinese Peruvian culinary tradition based on Cantonese elements fused with traditional Peruvian ingredients and traditions. The term is also used to refer to restaurants that serve the ''chifa'' cuisine.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Chifa |url=http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual?LEMA=chifa&origen=RAE |website=Diccionario de la Real Academia Española |language=es |edition=vigésima segunda edición}}</ref>

''Chifa'' has spread from Peru to neighboring countries including Ecuador,<ref name=":2" /> and Chile.<ref name=":3" />

==Etymology== The majority of Chinese Peruvians have origins in southern China, where Cantonese is spoken.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Rodrigues Pastor |first=Humberto |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iy7-9h7W5OQC&q=chifa |title=Cuando Oriente Llegó a América, Contribución de los inmigrantes chinos, japoneses y coreanos |date=Oct 2004 |isbn=9781931003735 |location=Lima |language=es}}</ref> The Comisión Lexicografía de la Academia Peruana (CLAP) proposed that the word ''chifa'' is from Cantonese 食飯喇 (Jyutping: ''sik9 faan6 laa3''), lit "to eat cooked rice" (''"comer arroz cocido"'')<ref name=":1">{{cite journal|url=https://revistas.apl.org.pe/index.php/boletinapl/article/view/217/179|journal=Boletín de la Academia Peruana de la Lengua|number=36|date= 2003-12-31|title=Resultados de la propuesta lexicográfica peruana en el diccionario de la Real Academia|author=Ana Baldoceda E.|pages=85–162 |doi=10.46744/bapl.200202.003 }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> but usually meant "Time to eat [meal]". The term came to prominence in Lima in the 1930s, when Limeños heard Chinese people using the expression "''chifan''" as a call to eat in the restaurants they ran.<ref>Rodríguez Pastor, Humberto (2008). «Gastronomía chino-cantonesa y el chifa peruano». ''Gaceta Cultural del Perú'' (32). «Chifas hay de todas características, desde los muy lujosos hasta los que ofrecen al público el consumo "al paso", o los vendedores que ofertan chifita por las calles limeñas, en puestecillos muy modestos pero a los que no les falta su atractivo anuncio de CHIFA y hay hasta quienes lo venden en triciclos ».</ref>

A similar loanword, ''chaufa'' (a ''chifa'' fried rice dish), comes from the Cantonese 炒飯 or ''chaofan'' (Jyutping: ''caau3 faan6''), meaning "fried rice".<ref>«Historia del arroz chaufa». Abrecht. Consultado el 27 de noviembre de 2021. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220517034637/https://abrecht-group.com/2019/09/07/historia-del-arroz-chaufa/ Internet Archive]</ref>

==History==

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chinese immigrants came to Peru as workers. They came mainly from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, particularly the capital city of Guangzhou. For the most part, they settled on the coast of Peru and in the capital city of Lima.<ref name=":0" />

There are different accounts on the development of ''chifa'' restaurants in Lima, such as the following:

<blockquote>Why is the Chinatown of Lima near the central market called Capon? Because on Ucayali Street pigs, bulls, sheep and goats were fattened to be made more appetizing. Near Capon Street there was a piece of land known as Otaiza, which was rented by a group of Chinese free of the [indenturement] contract, doing what they best knew how to do: cooking and merchanting (...) Capon turned into the birthplace of Chinese food and of the first Peruvian chifas, a blessing from the sky. Soon all of Lima comes to eat at ''Ton Kin Sen'', to ''Thon Po'', to ''Men Yut'', and to ''San Joy Lao'' where there was dancing to a live orchestra. Chinese restaurants became known as Chifa. For some this word was derived from the Chinese ''ni chi fan'' or "Have you eaten yet". Soon later would come the dish ''chau fan'' (fried rice), and finally, ''chaufa'', a dish that comes with almost every chifa meal. – León, R., 2007 pp.134-136.<ref>{{cite book |last=León |first=Rafo |title=Lima Bizarra. Antiguía del centro de la capital. 2da edición. |publisher=Lima-Perú: Aguilar |year=2007 |isbn=978-9972-848-17-9 |language=es}}</ref></blockquote>

==Cuisine== {{More citations needed|section|date=April 2023}}[[Image:Sillao 191207.JPG|125px|thumb|Soy sauce, called ''sillao'' in Peru, is an important ingredient]] [[Image:Chaufa de carne 30042010.JPG|125px|thumb|''Arroz chaufa'', in this case with beef and bean sprouts]] Peruvian ''chifa'' is distinct, influenced by Peruvian cuisine. Like most Chinese food elsewhere, rice, meat, noodles and vegetables are staples in ''chifa''. ''Chifa'' is eaten by all socioeconomic groups, with some directed at those with more disposable income, and ''chifas de barrio'' at those with less. Lima had over 6,000 ''chifa'' restaurants in 2007.<ref>{{cite news |magazine=Commission Magazine |url=http://www.commissionmagazine.org/Stories/Nov02/peru.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070423045238/http://www.commissionmagazine.org/Stories/Nov02/peru.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2007-04-23 |title=Chinese in Peru: Soul food |date=November 2002 }}</ref>

===''Chifa'' dishes=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Image !!Description |- | ''Aeropuerto''|| || A mixture of arroz chaufa and tallarín saltado |- | ''Arroz chaufa'' ||100px|| Cantonese-Peruvian style fried rice (white rice, soy sauce, scallions, fried egg, and meat such as chicken or pork) |- | ''Chicharrón de pollo''|| || Fried simmered chicken cubes served with spiced lemon juice |- | ''Kam Lu Wantan'' ||100px|| Wontons stir fried with sweet and sour sauce, vegetables and meat |- | ''Lomo saltado'' ||100px|| Stir-fried marinated sirloin strips with onions, tomatoes and peppers and served with french fries and rice. |- | ''Pollo Chi jau kai''|| || Chicken with ''chu-hou'' sauce |- | ''Pollo con tausi''|| || Seasoned chicken with a dark broth |- | ''Pollo enrollado''||100px|| Chicken rolled into fried crust |- | ''Pollo Tipa Kay'' ||100px||Chicken with Sweet and Sour sauce. |- | ''Sopa estilo chifa'' || || Chinese-style chicken soup |- | ''Sopa Fu chi fu'' || || Egg drop soup |- | ''Sopa wantan''||100px|| Cantonese-Peruvian style wonton soup |- | ''Tallarin saltado''||100px|| Cantonese-Peruvian style chow mein |- | ''Taypa a la plancha'' ||100px|| Stir fry of beef, pork, chicken, fried tofu puffs, seafood, vegetables |- | ''Wantan frito''||100px|| Fried wonton |}

==''Chifa'' in other countries== Since at least the 1970s, Chinese immigrants have opened ''chifa'' restaurants in Ecuador,<ref name=":2">{{cite news |url=http://www.hoy.com.ec/noticias-ecuador/los-chifas-se-comen-el-mercado-ecuatoriano-233035.html |title=Los chifas se comen el mercado ecuatoriano |newspaper=Hoy (Ecuadorian newspaper) |date=2006-04-26 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724085453/http://www.hoy.com.ec/noticias-ecuador/los-chifas-se-comen-el-mercado-ecuatoriano-233035.html |archive-date=2013-07-24 }}</ref> Bolivia, Chile,<ref name=":3">{{cite web | url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/01/02/peruvian-chicken-latin-food-asheville-restaurant-conosur-mills-river-mackensy-lunsford/2117811002/ | title=Conosur fires up Peruvian chicken, authentic pan-Latin cuisine }}</ref> and Spain.

==References== {{reflist}} *Zapata Acha, Sergio (noviembre de 2006). ''Diccionario de gastronomía peruana tradicional'' (1 edición). Lima, Perú: Universidad San Martín de Porres. {{ISBN|9972-54-155-X}}. {{commons}}

Category:Cantonese cuisine Category:Peruvian cuisine Category:Restaurants by type Category:Chinese fusion cuisine