What Is Ceviche?

From Coastal Living comes a definition of Ceviche. What Is Ceviche?

Ceviche is a seafood dish where diced cubes of raw fish marinated in a lemon or lime juice mixture, and the reaction of the citrus juices cures the fish protein and causes it to become opaque and firm while absorbing flavor. This process is called denaturing—you’re more familiar with the process of denaturing with heat, a.k.a. cooking, but this reaction achieves a similar effect. After curing, the fish is then served with colorful seasoning elements such as onions, cilantro, and peppers. It’s a simple and bracing dish where fresh fish and bright flavors are put on display.

The ceviche method of preparing fish is elemental to coastal South American cuisine and was born out of the need to preserve food. The true birthplace of the dish isn’t completely clear: The Incan Empire preserved fish with fruit juices, salt, and chili peppers, and the introduction of limes from Spanish conquerors brought citrus juices into the picture. Some sources even indicate origins as far away as the Polynesian Islands in the South Pacific. Regardless of the exact origin, the most varied and plentiful examples of the dish are found in Peruvian kitchens and restaurants—the country has even declared ceviche as its national dish.

Variations of the dish exist across South and Central America. Ecuadorian ceviche tosses shrimp and tomato sauce into the marinade, and crispy tostadas or tortilla crisps accompany Mexican ceviche or the similar aguachile (shrimp drizzled with a chili-infused lime mixture just before serving) from the northern Pacific coast of Mexico. Caribbean styles include a creamy touch from coconut milk. Even within Peru, a Japanese-Peruvian version called Nikkei adds another layer of variation with finely cut fish amidst soy sauce, togarashi, and sesame oil. The dish made its way onto American plates starting in the 1980s when Caribbean flavors came by way of Florida.

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