Lomo Saltado

Peru has one of the world's most celebrated cuisines and I want our first Peruvian dinner to be a dish Peruvians eat constantly, not one restaurants abroad show off. Lomo saltado also tells a story I want my son to hear at the table: it is chifa, the cooking Chinese immigrants created in Peru, and wok technique meeting native potatoes and chiles is the whole history on a plate. The skill to learn is the high-heat sear in batches so the beef browns instead of stewing. It is weeknight-feasible because the fries bake, the rice cooks itself, and the stir-fry takes six minutes. The ají amarillo goes in at the end, so I can pull a mild portion first.

• Ají amarillo paste: Peru's fruity, medium-hot yellow chile, sold as a jarred paste in Latin markets and online. A tablespoon gives warmth and a sunny color. Substitute a minced jalapeño plus a pinch of turmeric, or leave it out for a fully mild pan.
• Sirloin or tenderloin: Cut across the grain into strips about 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches long. Flank steak also works. Pat it very dry so it sears.
• Red onion and tomato in wedges: Cut 1/2 inch thick so they soften at the edges but keep their shape.
• Soy sauce and vinegar: Ordinary soy sauce; a splash of red wine vinegar brightens the sauce.

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Cut the potatoes into 1/3-inch fries, toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and spread on a sheet pan. They go in first: 30–35 minutes, turned once, until golden and crisp.
2. Start the rice: rinse 1 1/2 cups, cook with 2 1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and keep warm.
3. Cut the steak across the grain into strips about 1/2 by 2 inches. Pat dry and season with salt, pepper and the cumin.
4. Cut the onion and tomatoes into 1/2-inch wedges, scooping the wateriest seeds from the tomato. Mince the garlic. Chop a handful of cilantro. Mix the soy sauce and vinegar in a cup and have the ají amarillo paste beside it.

1. Set a large skillet or wok over the highest heat until it just begins to smoke. Add 1 tablespoon oil, then half the beef in a single layer. Leave it 1 minute, then toss and cook 1 minute more until browned but still pink inside. Move to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef and a little more oil.
2. Add the onion to the empty pan and stir-fry 1–2 minutes until the edges char slightly but the wedges stay crisp. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomato for 1 minute, just until it begins to soften.
3. Return the beef and its juices. Pour the soy-vinegar mixture around the edge of the pan so it sizzles, and toss 30 seconds. Scoop out a mild portion now.
4. Stir in the ají amarillo paste and most of the cilantro, toss 30 seconds more, and taste; add a squeeze of lime and more soy if needed.
5. Add about two-thirds of the hot fries straight from the oven and fold them through once so they catch the sauce without going soggy. Serve immediately.

Spoon rice onto one side of each plate and lomo saltado on the other, with the extra fries piled on top; scatter the rest of the cilantro over everything. My son's portion comes out before the ají amarillo goes in and gets its own fries, so he has the same beef, onion and tomato with none of the warmth; the adults can add jarred ají sauce. Lomo saltado waits for no one; the fries soften within minutes, so get everyone seated before the final toss. Leftovers reheat fine in a hot pan over fresh rice.