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Vegetable saltado
Saltado de verduras: wok-fried mushrooms, onion and tomato in soy and vinegar, with chips and rice
Saltado comes from Lima's chifa tradition, the cooking of Chinese-Peruvian families who brought the wok to Peru in the nineteenth century. The famous version is lomo saltado with beef; this saltado de verduras uses meaty mushrooms in its place. Thick wedges of red onion and tomato are tossed over a fierce flame with garlic, ají amarillo, soy sauce and a splash of vinegar until just wilted, so the vegetables keep their shape and the pan juices turn smoky and savoury. It is always served with both chips and white rice, which soak up those juices. Chef's tip: cook in two batches if your pan is small; a crowded wok steams the vegetables instead of searing them, and the tomatoes collapse into soup.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the saltado
To serve
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Bake the 1 ⅛ lb oven chips according to the packet, usually 20 minutes at 425°F. Start them first so they are ready the moment the saltado is.
20 minStep 2: Have everything cut and lined up by the stove: once the wok is hot the cooking takes 6 minutes and there is no time to chop.
Step 3: Heat a wok or large frying pan over the highest heat until it just smokes. Add half of 2 tbsp vegetable oil and the 14 oz portobello mushrooms in one layer and leave them for 2 minutes, until browned underneath, then toss and cook 1 minute more. Season with a little ¼ tsp black pepper and tip onto a plate.
3 minStep 4: Heat the rest of 2 tbsp vegetable oil until smoking. Add 2 red onions and toss for 1–2 minutes, until the edges char slightly but the wedges are still crunchy.
2 minStep 5: Add 3 cloves garlic, 1 fresh ají amarillo and ¼ tsp ground cumin and toss for 20 seconds until fragrant; don't let the garlic burn.
Step 6: Return the mushrooms, add 3 tomatoes and pour 3 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar down the hot side of the wok so they sizzle and caramelise. Toss for 1 minute, just until the tomato skins start to wrinkle. The tomatoes should keep their shape.
1 minStep 7: Turn off the heat, add the rest of ¼ tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and toss. Tip in a handful of chips if you like them soaked in the juices, as many Lima cooks do.
Step 8: Serve straight away with the 1 ⅓ lb cooked white rice and the remaining chips, spooning plenty of juices over the rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vegetable saltado take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of portobello mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of red onions?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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