More Than Ceviche: Why Peruvian Food Feels Surprisingly Familiar To Indian Palates

Last Updated:July 03, 2026, 14:08 IST

Peruvian Chef Julio Castillo showcased Peruvian cuisine at a Hyatt event, highlighting its similarities with Indian food through dishes like tuna tartare pani puri.

It’s not every day that a diplomatic afternoon turns into a quiet exercise in rethinking how far food can travel without losing its soul. At the Peruvian embassy’s media interaction at Hyatt’s Syrah last week, what was served wasn’t just a curated menu but a subtle argument that cuisines separated by oceans can still speak a surprisingly familiar language.

The lunch featured a specially curated tasting menu by Peruvian chef Julio Castillo, who is based in Madrid and is known for combining traditional Andean flavours with contemporary cooking techniques. His food is built around the balance that Peruvian cuisine is famous for, bringing together citrus, spice, sweetness and umami with ingredients like Peruvian chillies, lime and cilantro.

I walked in a little late, just in time to catch a discussion about spices. One of the first things Castillo pointed out was that Peruvian and Indian cooking have more in common than people might think. Turmeric, coriander and cilantro are staples in both cuisines. It was an interesting reminder that while the dishes may look different, some of the building blocks are surprisingly similar.

That idea carried through the meal.

The first course itself reflected the India-Peru connection. Instead of introducing Peru through something completely unfamiliar, Castillo served tuna tartare pani puri, filling the popular Indian street snack with fresh tuna tartare. Alongside it came beetroot causa with smoked salmon, a traditional Peruvian potato dish, and scallop ceviche, marinated in the classic leche de tigre. It was a clever way of introducing Peruvian flavours without making them feel intimidating.

The sea bass tiradito, served with yellow chilli and passion fruit sauce, was probably my favourite course. It was light, fresh and full of flavour without being overpowering. The crispy prawns with mango relish and chupe sauce struck a familiar note because sweet, spicy and tangy flavours are something Indian palates already enjoy. The lamb anticuchos, served with baby potatoes, were simple and comforting, showing that Peruvian food isn’t always about citrus and seafood.

Dessert was a pleasant surprise too. Suspiro Limeño, passion fruit cheesecake and lucuma alfajor rounded off the meal with flavours that felt distinctly Peruvian rather than adapted for Indian tastes.

Castillo also spoke about experimenting with Indian ingredients and formats. Besides the tuna tartare and pani puri served that afternoon, he has previously prepared buttermilk using Peruvian spices. It didn’t sound like fusion for the sake of being trendy. Instead, it seemed like an attempt to create familiar entry points for people trying Peruvian food for the first time.

Peruvian Ambassador Javier Paullinich acknowledged that introducing a new cuisine isn’t easy, especially when dedicated restaurants are still few in number. Mumbai currently has several Peruvian restaurants, including some serving Nikkei cuisine, the Japanese-Peruvian style of cooking. Bangalore has also recently joined the list. Delhi, however, is still waiting for its first major Peruvian restaurant, though that may not be the case for much longer.

The conversation eventually moved beyond food when the ambassador spoke about similarities that go beyond the plate: protective symbols like Peru’s Pucara bulls echoing India’s Nandi, shared rituals of offering food and flowers in the mountains, and even similarities in textile traditions. They may seem like small details, but they offer an interesting glimpse into how two cultures, separated by continents, can still have unexpected points of connection.

And maybe that’s why the evening didn’t feel like a typical embassy event. There were no grand declarations about cultural diplomacy or soft power. Just a series of small, deliberate gestures, a spice here, a technique there, a pani puri reimagined!

If Peruvian cuisine does find a stronger footing in India over the next few years, it won’t be because it tried to be something entirely new. It will be because it understood, early on, that familiarity is often the best introduction.

About the Author

Sukanya SahaTV Anchor

Sukanya Saha is a television anchor at CNN-News18 who regularly attends major geopolitical summits and tracks foreign affairs with a close eye on shifting global power dynamics. With over eight years ...Read More

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