Aeropuerto
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice – rinsed
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 8 ounces Chinese egg noodles (thin, dried)
- 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs – thinly sliced
- 1/2 pounds pork loin – thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons ginger – finely grated
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 large eggs – beaten
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoons white pepper
- 1 teaspoons sesame oil
- 4 each scallions – thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
- 2 cups bean sprouts
Instructions
1. Cook the rice: Combine the rinsed jasmine rice and 1.75 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 12–14 minutes. Fluff, spread on a tray to cool, and refrigerate uncovered to dry while you prep.
2. Cook the noodles: Boil the Chinese egg noodles in a large pot of boiling water until just tender (check package; typically 2–4 minutes). Drain, rinse briefly under cold water, drain very well, and spread to air-dry while you continue.
3. Prep and marinate: In a bowl, combine the chicken, pork, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and half of the ginger and garlic. Toss to coat and marinate 10 minutes. Slice the scallions, keeping whites and greens separate, and beat the eggs.
4. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons light soy sauce with the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil; set aside.
5. Scramble eggs: Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, pour in the beaten eggs, and scramble just until softly set, 30–60 seconds. Transfer to a plate.
6. Stir-fry meats: Return the wok to high heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and stir-fry the marinated chicken and pork in a single layer until browned and just cooked through, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the eggs.
7. Build the fry: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the scallion whites plus the remaining ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chilled rice and stir-fry, breaking up clumps, until hot and a bit toasty, 2–3 minutes. Add the drained noodles and toss until steaming and lightly singed in spots, 1–2 minutes.
8. Finish: Return the meats and eggs to the wok. Pour the sauce around the edges and toss until evenly coated and glossy, 1–2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and scallion greens and stir-fry just until the sprouts begin to wilt but stay crisp, 30–60 seconds. Serve immediately while hot.
Aeropuerto is a beloved Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) stir-fry that marries two classics in one wok: the smoky chew of noodles and the comfort of fried rice. The result is a hearty, high-heat tangle of grains and strands packed with savory soy, a hint of sweetness from oyster sauce, and the crunch of just-wilted bean sprouts. Tender bites of chicken and pork, flecks of egg, and fresh scallions round it out for a satisfying, all-in-one plate.
Born in Lima’s bustling Chifa restaurants, Aeropuerto reflects a century of Chinese migration and culinary adaptation in Peru. The name playfully nods to the “landing” of many ingredients in one place, like arrivals at an airport. Over time it became a crowd favorite, bridging Peruvian tastes with Cantonese techniques such as wok hei, velveting, and quick, balanced saucing.