Sopa Wantan Chifa (Wonton Soup)

When my Abuelito walked his nighttime policeman’s beat through Lima’s Chinatown in the 1940’s and 50’s he was instructed to ignore the Opium dens on the alleys off Calle Capon, but he always stopped by one of his favorite Chifas, the San Joy Lao, for a bowl of Sopa Wantan. As soon as he walked in, the Chinese owners would smile at him and shout out his order to the kitchen in the back— ¡Sopa Wantan pa la gualdia! A lifetime later, when my grandfather was a few years shy of turning 100 years old, he would still request Wonton Soup to start our family-style meal at a Chinese restaurant, and with a big wrinkled grin he would lower his face to the bowl of soup in front of him and begin to slurp it loudly. I don’t think there is anyone that enjoyed Sopa Wantan as much as my Abuelito, it was so precious to witness, and maybe that’s why it’s so special to me, because it reminds me of all the family meals we shared.
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Sudado de Pescado Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian Steamed Fish)

Whenever I go to a Chifa with my Mom and Dad, we usually start with a Wantan soup, and then debate on Arroz Chaufa or stir fried noodles, but there is one dish that we always get — Steamed Fish. By far, that is my Mom’s favorite dish, and this is my version, a Chifa, or Chinese-Peruvian, whole steamed fish with a hint of aji amarillo heat, covered in a savory sauce made with soy, sesame oil, ginger, and scallions. Here’s what you need to do to get your Chifa flavors happening in your kitchen in the New Year.
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