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Arroz con mariscosSeafood rice

Arroz con mariscos is the weekend dish of Callao and the beach towns south of Lima, served in cevicherías as the hot partner to a cold ceviche. It is moister than a paella, closer to a risotto, coloured with ají panca and ají amarillo and finished with peas and a little Parmesan-style cheese, as many Lima cooks do. The common mistake is adding all the seafood at the start: the squid turns rubbery and the prawns shrink to nothing. Cook the rice first and add the shellfish only for the final minutes. Discard any mussels that are open before cooking and do not close when tapped, and any that stay shut after cooking. The cheese is often made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer. Chef's tip: simmer the prawn shells in the stock for 10 minutes; they give the rice its deep seafood taste.

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Sopa criollaCreamy beef noodle soup

Sopa criolla is the soup Lima turns to on grey winter evenings, when the garúa mist hangs over the city: a beef broth reddened with ají panca, full of thin noodles and strips of beef, enriched with evaporated milk and finished with a poached egg. It arrives with toasted bread for dunking. The common mistake is boiling the soup after adding the milk; it splits into specks. Lower the heat first and stir it in gently. The beef strips are thin, so they cook through in a few minutes. Chef's tip: crack the eggs straight into the barely simmering soup and leave them alone for three minutes; the whites set into soft ribbons that thicken the broth.

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Pescado a lo machoFried fish in spicy seafood sauce

Pescado a lo macho is a classic of Lima's seafood restaurants, the dish people order for a long Sunday lunch near the sea in Chorrillos: a fillet of fried white fish smothered in a thick, spicy sauce of ají panca and ají amarillo packed with prawns, squid and mussels. The name boasts that you need to be brave for the chilli, but you can turn it down. The common mistake is overcooking the seafood while the sauce reduces; add it only when the sauce is already thick. Discard mussels that are open and do not close when tapped, and any that stay shut after cooking. Chef's tip: dust the fish in flour seasoned with cumin and fry it last, so it reaches the table crisp under the sauce.

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Ceviche peruanoLime-cured white fish

Ceviche is Peru's national dish, eaten at lunchtime in the cevicherías of Lima's Surquillo and Chorrillos markets, because the fish must be fresh off the morning boats and cevicherías traditionally close in the afternoon. The classic is raw white fish 'cooked' in lime juice with red onion, chilli and coriander, served with sweet potato and corn. Lime juice does not kill bacteria or parasites, so this version first poaches the fish for a minute until just opaque, then dresses it, which keeps the classic flavour and texture far safer. Even so, it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. The usual mistake is leaving the fish in the lime for an hour: it turns chalky and the juice goes bitter. Chef's tip: squeeze the limes gently by hand and stop before the pith; over-squeezed limes make bitter leche de tigre.

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Tamales peruanosChicken corn tamales in banana leaf

In Lima, tamales are a Sunday breakfast, bought warm from street vendors calling 'tamaleeeeros' or made at home for Christmas, and eaten with crusty bread and a pile of salsa criolla. Peruvian tamales are larger and softer than Mexican ones, made from corn dough coloured with ají and wrapped in banana leaves, hiding chicken, a black olive, a slice of egg and a peanut. Peanuts are an allergen, so leave them out if needed. The usual mistake is a dry dough: the tamales turn crumbly. Beat in enough warm stock to make a soft paste that just holds its shape. The chicken must reach 74 °C before it goes in. Chef's tip: fat makes the dough tender; beat the oil and dough for a full 5 minutes until light, as Lima cooks do with pork lard.

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Lomo saltadoBeef stir-fry with chips

Lomo saltado was born in the chifas of central Lima, where Chinese cooks met Peruvian ingredients, and today it is the lunch every Peruvian family makes when they want something fast and a little indulgent. Strips of beef are seared in a smoking-hot wok with red onion, tomato and yellow chilli, splashed with soy sauce and vinegar, then tossed with chips and served beside white rice, so you get both starches on one plate. The common mistake is crowding the wok: the beef stews in its juices and turns grey and chewy instead of charring. Cook it in two batches over the highest heat you have. Chef's tip: add the chips at the very last second, or serve them on the side, so they soak up a little sauce but stay crisp.

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Arroz tapadoRice dome with beef filling

Arroz tapado means covered rice, and it is the thrifty weekday lunch of Lima homes and school canteens: garlic rice pressed into a bowl, filled with a sweet-savoury beef mince and turned out like a dome. The filling of minced beef with onion, ají panca, raisins, black olives and hard-boiled egg is the same picadillo that goes into papas rellenas. The usual mistake is leaving the filling wet: the dome collapses and the rice turns soggy. Simmer it until the pan is almost dry. Minced beef must reach 71 °C, so cook it until no pink remains. Serve with a spoonful of salsa criolla. Chef's tip: brush the bowl with a little oil and pack the rice firmly with the back of a spoon; a well-pressed dome holds its shape on the plate.

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Crema volteadaBaked caramel custard

In Lima, crema volteada is the dessert that appears at Sunday lunch in Miraflores and Barranco homes and at every birthday where an aunt is in charge of the sweets. It is firmer and richer than a Spanish flan because it is made with both evaporated and condensed milk, so it slices cleanly and tastes of toffee. The usual mistake is baking it in an oven that is too hot: the custard boils, fills with tiny holes and weeps. Keep the water bath at a bare simmer and take it out while the centre still wobbles slightly. Chef's tip: chill it overnight before turning it out; a cold custard releases in one piece and the caramel has time to melt into a pourable sauce.

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Tahu kecapFried tofu in sweet soy

Tahu kecap is everyday Javanese home cooking, made for supper from Yogyakarta to Surabaya and sold in warung trays by midday: cubes of tofu fried until golden, then tossed with sliced shallot, garlic and chilli in sticky, dark kecap manis. Sweet, salty and a little hot, it is eaten with rice and cucumber slices. The common mistake is frying wet tofu, which spits and never crisps; pat the cubes very dry first. Chef's tip: buy ready-fried tofu puffs or firm pre-pressed tofu if you're short of time; they need only a quick toss, and the hollow puffs soak up the sauce beautifully.

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Tumis sawiStir-fried mustard greens

Tumis sawi is the green dish that turns up on Indonesian dinner tables nearly every day, from Jakarta homes to Padang-style warung: mustard greens (sawi hijau) or choy sum stir-fried with shallot, garlic and a splash of soy until just wilted. Many cooks add a few prawns or a spoon of oyster sauce; this version is vegan. The common mistake is throwing stems and leaves in together, so the leaves go to mush while the stems stay raw; give the stems a 1-minute head start. Chef's tip: a splash of water once the greens go in makes a little steam that cooks them evenly and keeps them glossy.

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Pan con butifarraHam roll with onion salsa

Pan con butifarra is Lima's evening sandwich, sold in old-school sangucherías and made at home for a light dinner with coffee: a crusty roll filled with jamón del país, a spiced Peruvian pork ham, under a heap of salsa criolla, red onion sliced thin and soaked in lime with chilli. Outside Peru, use a good cooked pork ham. The common mistake is leaving the onion harsh; give it a quick rinse in salted water before dressing it. Chef's tip: a leaf of lettuce under the ham stops the lime juice soaking straight into the bread.

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TripleAvocado, tomato and egg sandwich

The triple is the soft, layered sandwich of Lima's cafés and bakeries, eaten at lonche, the Peruvian late-afternoon meal, or as a light supper: three slices of crustless white bread layered with avocado, tomato and sliced hard-boiled egg, all held together with mayonnaise. It looks neat, tastes fresh and is loved by children. Shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurised egg, so it is safe for everyone. The common mistake is letting wet tomato touch the bread, which turns it soggy within minutes. Chef's tip: pat the tomato dry and sit it between the avocado and egg, then press the sandwich under a board for a minute before cutting.

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Sayur oyongLuffa and glass noodle soup

Sayur oyong is a mild home soup from Java, cooked for weekday lunches and suppers when angled luffa (oyong) is in the market: the gourd turns soft and silky in a light broth of garlic and shallot, and a handful of glass noodles makes it filling. Many cooks add dried shrimp or a few prawns; this version keeps it vegetarian. The common mistake is adding the glass noodles too early, which makes them swell and drink all the broth; they need only 2 minutes at the end. Chef's tip: fry the shallot and garlic until just golden before adding water, which gives a sweet, rounded flavour to a broth with only a few ingredients.

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Sayur beningClear spinach and corn soup

Sayur bening, 'clear vegetables', is the light soup that sits beside almost every everyday meal in Central and East Java, eaten at lunch and supper with rice, fried tempe and sambal. Spinach (or amaranth) and sweetcorn are simmered briefly in water scented with shallot, garlic and fingerroot, so the broth stays clear and tastes sweet and green. The common mistake is boiling the spinach for too long: add it last and take the pan off the heat as soon as the leaves collapse. Chef's tip: if you can find fingerroot (temu kunci) in an Asian grocer, bruise one finger into the pot; it gives the authentic peppery-citrus note, but the soup is still good without it.

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Tongseng kambingGoat in curry broth with cabbage

After the Idul Adha sacrifice in Solo, Central Java, the neighbourhood warung and home kitchens turn bite-sized goat into tongseng: meat quickly stir-cooked in a thin, spiced coconut curry with cabbage, tomato and a generous pour of sweet soy sauce. The result is sweet, peppery and a little hot, served with rice and eaten the same day the meat is shared out. Chef's tip: add the cabbage at the very end so it stays crisp-tender and bright.

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Gulai kambingGoat in yellow coconut curry

When the sacrifice of Idul Adha is shared out in Sumatran and Javanese neighbourhoods, many kitchens turn their portion of goat into gulai kambing: chunks of meat simmered slowly in a golden coconut gravy perfumed with turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime and whole spices. The sauce is rich, fragrant and only gently hot, and it is eaten with plain rice, sambal and fried shallots, often by families who rarely eat goat the rest of the year. Chef's tip: blanch the goat first and throw that water away, which removes the strong smell and gives a cleaner gravy.

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Kue satuMung bean flour sweets

Kue satu are the little pale sweets that fill glass jars on Javanese and Sumatran tables when families open their doors for Lebaran visits at the end of Ramadan. Mung-bean flour is dry-toasted until it smells nutty, mixed with icing sugar and a whisper of pandan, then pressed into carved wooden moulds of flowers and leaves and left to dry until crumbly. They melt on the tongue with a sweet, beany, vanilla-like flavour and are offered with tea to every guest. Chef's tip: toast the flour until it is a shade darker and smells like popcorn, because raw-tasting flour is the most common reason kue satu taste flat.

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TengklengGoat rib and bone soup

Tengkleng was born in Solo, Central Java, as a way of using every part of the goat, and it comes into its own at Idul Adha, when the ribs and bones from the sacrifice go into a big pot of thin, turmeric-yellow broth. Diners pick the bones up by hand and suck out the meat and marrow, then spoon the light, aromatic soup over rice. It is less rich than gulai, warmer and sharper with ginger and pepper. Chef's tip: simmer gently with the lid ajar; a fierce boil clouds the broth and toughens the meat on the bones.

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AllerheiligenstriezelBraided sweet loaf

In Bavaria and Austria, godparents give their godchildren an Allerheiligenstriezel on All Saints' Day, 1 November: a large braided loaf of sweet yeast dough, brushed with egg and scattered with almonds or pearl sugar. The braid is said to recall the old custom of cutting a plait of hair in mourning, and the size of the loaf once showed how generous the godparent was. It is lightly sweet, with lemon and vanilla, and is eaten sliced with butter or jam. Some recipes add rum-soaked raisins; these are soaked in warm water instead. Chef's tip: braid four strands for an impressive, high loaf.

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Pajagua mascadaBeef and cassava patties

Pajagua mascada is a Paraguayan street-food classic that appears on every table for the San Juan festival on 24 June, when bonfires burn and the night is full of games and traditional food. Minced beef is mixed with mashed cassava, onion, garlic and a little egg and flour, shaped into flat patties and fried until crisp. The name comes from Guaraní and refers to the 'chewing' of old Paraguayan cooks, who made it from leftover meat. Chef's tip: dry the boiled cassava well and remove its woody core, which keeps the patties light and crunchy.

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Sopa teólogaTurkey broth with bread and cheese

Sopa teóloga ('the theologian's soup') goes back to colonial convents in Lima and Arequipa, where it was cooked for feast days, and it is still served at Holy Week and family celebrations. A rich turkey (or chicken) broth is thickened with soaked bread, milk and fresh cheese, with yellow potatoes and shreds of turkey, and finished with a little ají amarillo and chopped huacatay or parsley. It is thick, comforting and filling. Chef's tip: blend part of the soaked bread with broth before adding it, which gives the soup its creamy body without lumps.

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Chipa so'oCheese bread with spiced beef

In Paraguay, families bake chipa in the clay tatakua ovens on Holy Wednesday so there is food for Thursday and Good Friday, when cooking stops. Chipa so'o ('chipa with meat') is a cassava-starch and cheese bread wrapped around a little filling of minced beef cooked with onion and egg, then baked until crisp outside and chewy within. It is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: knead the dough until it no longer cracks at the edges when pressed; dry dough splits around the filling.

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KrengsenganGoat stir-fried with sweet soy

Krengsengan is how many East Javanese households in Surabaya and Malang cook their share of Idul Adha goat or beef: thin slices stir-fried with shallots, garlic and chilli, then cooked down with sweet soy and a little petis (dark shrimp paste) until sticky and glossy. It is sweet, savoury and fiery, best with hot rice and cucumber. Petis is optional for anyone who prefers not to use shrimp. Chef's tip: slice the meat thinly across the grain, which keeps it tender in a quick cook.

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Manisan kolang-kalingSugar palm fruit in pandan syrup

Kolang-kaling are the chewy, translucent seeds of the sugar palm, and in Indonesia they are a sure sign of Ramadan, piled in buckets at markets and simmered in syrup to go into iftar drinks, kolak and es buah. They have a soft, jelly-like bite and soak up whatever colour and flavour they are cooked in: green for pandan, red for rose syrup. Chef's tip: simmer them slowly and leave them in the syrup overnight; rushing gives pale fruit with a watery middle.

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