Ceviche Seafood in Lime Juice
Ceviche Seafood in Lime Juice
Mamta Gupta
I first had this dish on a small ship we were travelling on in Galapagos Islands in 2001. It was made by the young chef on board. I tried it reluctantly, me eating raw seafood in those days! I loved it so much that I asked him how he had made it. He gave me his recipe verbally, which I wrote down later.
It is a popular Peruvian dish, consisting of really fresh raw fish/seafood, mixed with chopped onions, olive oil, herbs, spices and lime juice.
The seafood must be fresh and at its best, to avoid any chance of stomach upset. It is 'cooked' in/by lime juice, you can see the lemon and lime juice turning the colour of the fish from translucent to opaque/white as you prepare it.
Ceviche is usually served as an appetizer, but can be served as a main course. When serving as a main course dish, serve it with corn kernels or boiled/barbecued corn on the cob, boiled and sliced sweet potato or ordinary boiled potatoes or even with a fresh bread.
travelling around on to visit Galapagos islands around 2000-2001.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
250 gm. fresh seafood (fish of choice, like cod, sole, sword fish, red snapper, barracuda, marlin, grouper etc., cleaned and cut into small bite-sized pieces. You can also use prawns/shrimps, scallops and octopus/squid.
100 gm. red and yellow cherry tomatoes
2 cups salt water (water + 2 heaped tsp. salt)
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
A handful of finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp. finely chopped mint leaves
1/2 a cucumber, peeled sliced/shredded thinly
Sea salt to taste, approximately 1 level tsp.
1/2 tsp. crushed black peppers
Juice of 4-6 limes (limes give better flavour than lemons), about 3/4 cup
Instructions
Soak tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or two, until skins split. Take out of water and remove skins. Quarter tomatoes using a sharp knife, and keep aside. You can use any ripe tomatoes de-skinned and chopped.
Remove skin from the fish fillets and soak in salt water for 10 minutes. Removes from water and pat dry. Now cut into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl, along with prawn/shrimp etc.
Add sliced onions, tomatoes, crushed garlic, half the coriander leaves, mint leaves, cucumber slices, salt and pepper to taste.
Now cover with the lime juice.
Cover with a cling film and refrigerate for at least 10 hours before serving.
Serve chilled in shallow bowls, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves.
Also see Soup Selection.
Notes
Other variationsIn the Japanese version of ceviche (Sashimi), add 2 tbsp. light Soya sauce to the lime juice.
A pinch of cayenne pepper can be added to the lime juice.
You can use a mix of lime juice and any good quality light vinegar.
1 hot chilli, chopped up, can also be added to the fish and vegetables in the bowl.
You can add parsley, instead of coriander leaves, but coriander tastes better.
Ecuadorian Ceviche has a combination of three citrus juices (lime, lemon and sharp oranges) and vinegar, instead of lime juice alone. It also has sliced yellow peppers.
It can also have a sliced green/red chilli and 1/2 a green/red pepper (capsicum), de-seeded and sliced thinly.
Chopped celery can also be added.
I guess they add whatever salad vegetable is in season.
