If you’ve ever tried Peruvian food, you know how delicious it is. What many don’t know about Peru is how it also offers a unique kind of cuisine. Introducing Nikkei, the marriage between Peruvian and Japanese ingredients and cooking styles.

Nikkei was originally a term that refers to Japanese immigrants around the world. Now, Nikkei most commonly refers to the fusion of both Japanese and Peruvian food. It all started back in 1899 when Japanese immigrants arrived on Peruvian land. Most of them were farmers in search of labor. During their stay, they ate the local food and adjusted to their new home. However, the immigrants started to long for food from their homeland. This led them to attempt recreating Japanese food with what Peru had to offer. With the lack of Japanese ingredients, they took advantage of the local produce and began making their food.

According to the video, Nikkei has no strict definition. This can be attributed back to how Japanese immigrants had to improvise with what was around. Originally, Nikkei was a domestic dish, meaning the food you would only find at home. Grandparents or mothers who would cook Nikkei food were not following a strict set of rules and made what came naturally to them. In the video, a chef explains how anyone could make Nikkei food because “there’s no one way to cook Nikkei food”.

I am fascinated with how Nikkei is executed. Despite not ever trying Nikkei food, how the chefs described their cooking and their reasons and how certain ingredients were mixed was intriguing. In the video, another chef explains how both Japanese and Peruvian ingredients go well together. For example, the chef claims that Peruvian chili peppers and Japanese soy sauce “are made for each other”. Additionally, he shows Nikkei ceviche, a traditional Peruvian dish but with Japanese influence. He shows the dish with ingredients you would not usually see in ceviche, such as ponzu sauce, dashi, and seaweed in tempura.

As someone of Peruvian descent, I find it incredibly interesting the history behind Nikkei food. Before learning about Nikkei, I had known about Chifa, which is Peruvian food mixed with Chinese ingredients. I have had plenty of experiences with Chifa and found it unique how two cultures could make something authentic. Like the creation of Nikkei, the start of Chifa was due to Chinese immigrants attempting to make their home cuisine in Peru. Learning about Nikkei reminded me of the fascination I had when first learning about Chifa. It also reminded me of how unique Peru is in terms of how culturally diverse the people are. Even the chefs claim to be fully Peruvian despite their Japanese features.

After seeing this video, I am open to trying Nikkei food. I also encourage everyone to look into Nikkei cuisine or other forms of fusion food with historical background and significance. Whether I try Nikkei in New York or Peru, I hope to taste the fantastic blend of two beautiful cultures.