Inside: Learn what makes up Peruvian Ceviche and how to combine all the delicious flavors into a flavorful dish full of rich cultural history.
Few dishes can match the exquisite charm of Peruvian Style Ceviche.
With its vibrant colors, bold flavors, and a rich cultural history, ceviche is more than just a dish; it’s a celebration of Peru’s diverse culinary heritage.
What is Peruvian Ceviche?
Peruvian ceviche, also known as “ceviche peruano,” is a popular and iconic dish in Peru.
It is a type of seafood salad made primarily from fresh raw fish or seafood, which is marinated and “cooked” by the acidity of lime or sour orange juice.
The dish is known for its vibrant flavors, refreshing taste, and the skill required to balance its ingredients.
What is in Peruvian Ceviche?
The star of Peruvian Style Ceviche is undoubtedly the seafood.
Here are the key components that make up Peruvian ceviche:
Fresh Seafood
The most common seafood used in Peruvian ceviche includes white fish like sea bass or sole, shrimp, squid, and octopus. It’s crucial to use the freshest seafood available to ensure the best flavor and texture.
Tiger’s Milk (Leche de Tigre)
This is the marinade that “cooks” the seafood. It is made by combining freshly squeezed lime or sour orange juice with finely chopped red onions, aji (chili pepper), cilantro, and a touch of fish stock or broth.
The acidity of the citrus juice essentially cures the seafood, giving it a slightly firm texture and infusing it with the zesty and spicy flavors of the other ingredients.
What can you serve with Peruvian Ceviche?
Peruvian ceviche is often served with a variety of accompaniments. These can include slices of sweet potato (camote), choclo (giant kernel corn), and avocado. Cancha, which is toasted corn kernels, is often sprinkled on top for added crunch.
A garnish of fresh cilantro leaves and a slice of lime on top of the ceviche is a common finishing touch.
How to make Peruvian Ceviche
INGREDIENTS:
500g white fish fillet (tilapia, curvina, sea bass, etc.)
1 large red onion
1 cup of tiger’s milk
1 cup lemon juice (seedless lemon)
1 habanero chili or Peruvian ají limo
1 clove garlic
½ stick of celery
Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn/choclo to accompany (optional)
Tiger Milk:
1 cup fish broth/water
1 fish fillet, cubed
2 large celery stalks
1 large piece of fresh ginger
4 large garlic
1 habanero chili or Peruvian ají limo
½ cup fresh lemon juice (seedless lemon)
½ Red onion/Purple onion hearts (the one we remove from the onion we fillet for the ceviche)
Coriander leaves to taste
Salt to taste
PREPARATION:
1. We begin by washing the fish very well, let it drain a little and separate one of the fillets and set it aside.
2. We prepare the tiger’s milk. We cut the fish fillet that we reserved into medium cubes and place it in the blender glass, we do the same with the celery stalks and the habanero chili or ají limo if you had it and we place it in the blender, we peel the piece of ginger and We place it together with the other ingredients, add the 4 cloves of garlic, the lemon juice, the fish broth and salt to taste. We grind to integrate all the ingredients, immediately after we add the onion hearts and fresh cilantro, we grind again for about 10 seconds. (if we grind it for more than 10 seconds, the cilantro becomes a little bitter). We strain the preparation to separate the liquid. (This resulting liquid is called tiger’s milk). We remove the foam that forms on top and reserve.
3. We take the cleaned and drained fish fillets and cut them into bite-sized cubes, place them in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste and let them marinate for a while while we prepare the other ingredients.
4. Peel the garlic and crush or finely chop it and add it to the sliced fillets and mix a little.
5. We cut the lemons without seeds and extract the juice until we obtain ½ cup of juice. (you should not squeeze the lemon completely only 80% in a first extraction since, if we squeeze too much, we would be reaching the white part of the lemon and the juice will become bitter)
6. Pour the ½ cup of lemon into the bowl, stir well and let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
7. We take the red onion, remove the center (heart) and slice it into feather or thin julienne shapes, set aside for a moment.
8. We also chop the habanero chili or ají limo and half a stick of celery into thin julienne strips and set aside.
9. Finely chop the fresh cilantro sprigs and set aside.
10. When we have all the ingredients prepared, it is time to prepare our ceviche.
In the bowl of the fish, place the sliced onion, the habanero chili or Ají limo, the celery, the finely chopped fresh cilantro and the cup of leche de tigre, stir the ingredients well and adjust the seasoning.
11. Ready, it’s time to serve the ceviche, you can accompany it with roasted sweet potato and Peruvian choclo (corn kernels) and toast or crackers.
Peruvian Style Ceviche
Ingredients
- 500 g white fish fillet tilapia, curvina, sea bass, etc.
- 1 large red onion
- 1 cup of tiger’s milk
- 1 cup lemon juice seedless lemon
- 1 habanero chili or Peruvian ají limo
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ stick of celery
- Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Corn/choclo to accompany optional
- Tiger Milk:
- 1 cup fish broth/water
- 1 fish fillet cubed
- 2 large celery stalks
- 1 large piece of fresh ginger
- 4 large garlic
- 1 habanero chili or Peruvian ají limo
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice seedless lemon
- ½ Red onion/Purple onion hearts the one we remove from the onion we fillet for the ceviche
- Coriander leaves to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- We begin by washing the fish very well, let it drain a little and separate one of the fillets and set it aside.
- We prepare the tiger’s milk. We cut the fish fillet that we reserved into medium cubes and place it in the blender glass, we do the same with the celery stalks and the habanero chili or ají limo if you had it and we place it in the blender, we peel the piece of ginger and We place it together with the other ingredients, add the 4 cloves of garlic, the lemon juice, the fish broth and salt to taste. We grind to integrate all the ingredients, immediately after we add the onion hearts and fresh cilantro, we grind again for about 10 seconds. (if we grind it for more than 10 seconds, the cilantro becomes a little bitter). We strain the preparation to separate the liquid. (This resulting liquid is called tiger’s milk). We remove the foam that forms on top and reserve.
- We take the cleaned and drained fish fillets and cut them into bite-sized cubes, place them in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste and let them marinate for a while while we prepare the other ingredients.
- Peel the garlic and crush or finely chop it and add it to the sliced fillets and mix a little.
- We cut the lemons without seeds and extract the juice until we obtain ½ cup of juice. (you should not squeeze the lemon completely only 80% in a first extraction since, if we squeeze too much, we would be reaching the white part of the lemon and the juice will become bitter)
- Pour the ½ cup of lemon into the bowl, stir well and let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
- We take the red onion, remove the center (heart) and slice it into feather or thin julienne shapes, set aside for a moment.
- We also chop the habanero chili or ají limo and half a stick of celery into thin julienne strips and set aside.
- Finely chop the fresh cilantro sprigs and set aside.
- When we have all the ingredients prepared, it is time to prepare our ceviche.
- In the bowl of the fish, place the sliced onion, the habanero chili or Ají limo, the celery, the finely chopped fresh cilantro and the cup of leche de tigre, stir the ingredients well and adjust the seasoning.
- Ready, it’s time to serve the ceviche, you can accompany it with roasted sweet potato and Peruvian choclo (corn kernels) and toast or crackers.
Nutrition
Peruvian ceviche is not just a dish; it’s a culinary masterpiece that reflects the rich cultural heritage and breathtaking flavors of Peru.
Its fresh, zesty, and vibrant taste has captivated the hearts and palates of people around the world, making it a beloved symbol of Peruvian cuisine.
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