A criollo pairing built around crisp crust and high-heat wok cooking. The tacu tacu stays golden outside and creamy within, while the lomo arrives juicy and glossy with vegetables that still have some bite. Once those pan juices reach the toasted crust, another spoonful becomes very hard to resist.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Before turning on the heat, finely dice part of the red onion and cut the rest into thick wedges. Cut the tomato into firm wedges, the yellow chili into strips, and the beef into thick strips or chunks. Peel the potatoes and cut them into fries. Keep the rice and beans cool or at room temperature; when hot and wet they stick more and brown poorly.
Heat part of the oil in a wide skillet and cook the diced onion for 4 minutes, until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, part of the yellow chili, the cumin, some of the black pepper, and some of the salt; cook for 1 minute. Add the beans, mash roughly one third of them, and leave the rest whole. Fold in the cooked white rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is moist and compactable while distinct grains of rice and beans remain visible.
Divide the mixture into 4 portions. Heat another portion of the oil over medium-high heat and cook one or two tacu tacus per batch, shaping them into compact ovals directly in the skillet. Brown for 4 to 5 minutes without moving them, until a deep golden-brown crust forms and releases naturally from the pan. Flip with a wide spatula or a plate and cook for another 4 minutes. Keep them warm without fully covering them so the crust stays firm.
While the tacu tacus brown, heat most of the remaining oil in another skillet and fry the potatoes in batches for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden outside and tender in the center. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with another portion of the salt. Do not cover them—the trapped steam softens the crust quickly.
Pat the beef dry and season it with the remaining black pepper and most of the remaining salt. Heat a wok until very hot, add the remaining oil, and sear the beef for 60 to 90 seconds, working in batches if needed. Remove it once it has deeply browned edges while remaining juicy inside; overcrowding the wok will steam the meat instead of searing it.
With the wok still very hot, add the red onion wedges and the remaining yellow chili. Toss for 45 seconds; add the tomato and cook for another 30 seconds, aiming for lightly charred edges while the vegetables still hold their shape. Return the beef, add the soy sauce and red wine vinegar, and toss for another 30 to 45 seconds, just until the juices bubble and coat everything with a glossy finish. Turn off the heat and fold in the cilantro.
Place one hot tacu tacu on each plate and spoon the lomo saltado over the top, making sure every serving gets beef, onion, tomato, and some of its pan juices. Serve the fries alongside so they remain crisp. The tacu tacu should hold its ground beneath the saltado: a firm crust outside, creamy center, and just enough juice creeping into the edges. Done! Break off a corner and drag it through the sauce before somebody else discovers the same idea. 😌
