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Food

MUNCHIES Presents: Nikkei

With the intent of recreating their homeland dishes using local ingredients, Japanese immigrants in Peru informally created Nikkei cuisine, a fusion popularized worldwide by Nobu Matsuhisa's empire.

Seeking land ownership, Japanese farmers began emigrating to Peru in 1899 when the two countries established diplomatic ties. With the intent of recreating Japanese dishes using local ingredients, Nikkei (Japanese descendants abroad) informally created Nikkei cuisine, a fusion popularized worldwide by Nobu Matsuhisa's empire. MUNCHIES flew to the Land of the Incas to interview three very different local and proud Nikkei chefs: Mitsuharu Tsumura (of Maido, a top 15 restaurant in all of Latin America), Toshiro Konishi (of Toshiro's, a favorite amongst Lima's elite) and Toshi Matsufuji (of Al Toke Pez, a delicious hole-in-the-wall in one of Lima's working-class neighborhoods).

Our skilled chefs took time from preparing entrées like ginger-garlic fried fish buns and ceviche with ponzu, dashi, and tempura seaweed to explain why the flavors of the far-flung nations pair so well.

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