Chaufa

Arroz chaufa is Peruvian fried rice, a signature dish of Chifa, the fusion cuisine created by Cantonese Chinese immigrants in Lima, Peru. It consists of day-old rice stir-fried in a wok with soy sauce (called sillao in Peru) and scallions.

It follows the Cantonese technique but with Peruvian ingredients and proteins, and it is defined by the Chifa restaurant tradition of Lima rather than Chinese regional styles. The Barrio Chino of Lima, established in the 1800s after Chinese immigration to Peru began around 1849, is the historic heart of this cuisine.

Chicken, beef, shrimp, or sausage (including hot dogs) are all common, and mixed versions are popular. The dish called aeropuerto combines chaufa-style fried rice with tallarín saltado (stir-fried noodles) on the same plate.

Chifa is the Peruvian term for Chinese-Peruvian cuisine and its restaurants, derived from the Cantonese phrase for eating rice or cooked rice. Chifa restaurants are found throughout Peru, with a dense concentration in Lima's Barrio Chino.

Cold, day-old rice is strongly preferred because it stays in separate grains during the wok frying, while fresh rice clumps and turns soggy. If needed, spreading freshly cooked rice on a tray to cool and dry for an hour or so is a common workaround.