Peruvian Dish Ceviche

In recent years, Peruvian cuisine has become increasingly popular. Restaurants have sprung up around the world to showcase this diverse and delicious cuisine, and virtually every menu includes ceviche. Fish lovers love this dish for its fresh, clean flavor, and it’s so popular in Peru that they even have a national holiday on June 28.
Essentially, ceviche is raw fish marinated in citrus juice and lots of spices. In Nikkei cuisine, the acidity of the citrus fruits “cooks” the fish and is therefore different from sashimi in Japanese cuisine. There is no hard and fast rule about what type of fish you can use for ceviche, as long as it is as fresh as possible. Typically, local white fish is used in the dish, such as sea bass, tilapia, or even freshwater trout. The fish is then diced into small pieces so that you get a nice spread of “cooked” edges and a bit of raw center.

Ceviche, or versions of it, has been around in Peru for at least a millennium. Early versions of the dish used fermented passion fruit juice or chicha, a fermented Andean drink, to coat the fish and “cook” it. When the Spanish arrived in Peru in the 16th century, they brought citrus fruits from Spain and local people added them to their ceviche recipes. It has easily become one of the most famous dishes in Peru.

Where does ceviche come from?

Despite the great history of ceviche, many still doubt its true origin. Since this dish is not only limited to the Peru region, you can find it throughout Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and many other Latin American countries. So is ceviche Mexican or Peruvian? Historical evidence and our great tradition only seem to indicate that ceviche is 100% Peruvian. But this does not mean that it does not exist outside of Peru. Its simple preparation has made it a worldwide dish during the different coastal regions of the world.

Peruvian ceviche is believed to have originated in the Moche culture, a coastal civilization. This culture flourished in what is now northern Peru more than 2,000 years ago. It is believed that the Moche marinated the fish with a kind of fermented juice from the not so well known banana passion fruit, known as Curuba in Peru. But other, more recent research shows that the fish used to be marinated with chicha during the time of the Inca Empire. This is a fermented drink from the Andean culture that is quite popular. Although other chronicles report that the fish was consumed differently along the Peruvian coast. Especially before the arrival of the Europeans. It is believed that the natives ate fish with chili and salt. And along with the advent of citrus, the natives only changed the method of preparation. But the essence of the dish remains exactly the same.

Peruvian ceviche recipe

How is Peruvian ceviche cooked? It is a question that everyone asks after trying this delicious dish. The Peruvian Ceviche consists of dipping raw and fresh fish in aromatic citrus juices. This is quite a creative way to slowly and naturally “cook” fresh fish. The different chiles add a spicy touch to the dish that is balanced by the acidic juice. Along with sweet potato, potato and corn they form one of these unique dishes in Peru. Thanks to the great biodiversity of Peru, this ceviche recipe was able to see the light. Fishing in the coastal regions and the abundance of marine life in them gave the possibility of preparing the Peruvian ceviche. For the Peruvian ceviche you will need the following elements:

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg of fish fillets.

½ kilo of lemon.

½ kg of lime.

1 small purple onion.

3 medium red bell peppers.

½ cup of fresh cilantro.

1 teaspoon chopped ginger.

Salt to taste.

PREPARATION:

• Step 1 To start the ceviche recipe, you will have to wash and dry the fish. Cut into cubes of about 2 cm approx. Remove any remaining skin, scales, or spines.
• Step 2 Wash the lemons and limes. Squeeze them into a large bowl. The fish is cooked through the marinating process. Put the pieces of fish in the marinade. Cover the container and store it in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Step 3 When the fish is cooked, prepare the garnish. Wash the sweet potatoes with a brush and put them in a steamer for about 30 minutes until they soften.
• Step 4 Wash the red pepper and onion. Open the bell pepper, remove the seeds and veins, and cut into small cubes.
• Step 5 Remove the ceviche from the refrigerator, add the onion, bell pepper and cilantro, ginger and a little salt, and stir.
• Step 6 Cover the ceviche again and place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Remove the ceviche from the refrigerator and put it in a small cup or plate. Serve with plantain slices and sweet potatoes. and also sprinkle some cilantro and chili.
• Step 7 Enjoy this wonderful and unique ceviche recipe!

This dish is much more than raw fish bathed in lemon juice or lime juice. Ingredients like coriander, onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, and different types of Peruvian peppers are usually mixed with Peruvian seafood. Please note that different regions use different ingredients for the dish. If you are outside of Peru, you can still try to make this dish. To make a great ceviche, it’s a good idea to choose fish suitable for sushi. It has to be fresh fish that has not been previously frozen.

National Ceviche Day

National Ceviche Day, Peru is so fond of ceviche that they have turned it into a holiday of their own. It is not surprising that the national dish of Peru has its official day on the calendar. On June 28 of each year the unique and iconic Peruvian ceviche is celebrated. You will discover how restaurants and hotels offer special menus inspired by the dish. During this day you can also find street fairs, festivities and contests where you can taste a wide variety of ceviches. Both foreigners and locals can enjoy a wide variety of ceviches. From traditional classics to avant-garde and innovative dishes. It is in Lima the main place where this party of fused flavors is celebrated. But the celebrations are not exclusive to Peru, even abroad you can see people celebrating the dish.