"Peru's national dish: raw fish 'cooked' in lime juice for under two minutes. The leche de tigre marinade left in the bowl is the best part and is drunk as a shot."
About Ceviche
Peru's national dish and the Americas' greatest raw seafood preparation: fresh white fish (flounder, sea bass or corvina) cut into cubes and 'cooked' by marinating in fresh lime juice with ají amarillo chilli, red onion, garlic, coriander and ginger-salt; the acidity denatures the proteins in minutes; served with choclo corn and sweet potato; Lima's Pescados Capitales and El Mercado set the contemporary standard.
Ceviche, a staple of Peru's cuisine
Peru's National Dish
Ceviche is Peru's national dish: fresh white fish cut into cubes and cured in lime juice with aji amarillo, red onion, garlic and coriander. The acid firms and whitens the surface of the fish in minutes while leaving it essentially raw within. It is served cold with sweet potato and large-kernelled choclo corn.
A Quick Cure
The lime does the work of heat, denaturing the proteins so the fish turns opaque without cooking. Modern Peruvian ceviche is marinated only briefly, often under a couple of minutes, to keep the fish tender and fresh rather than firm and over-cured. Freshness of the fish is everything, since there is nowhere to hide.
The Leche de Tigre
The marinating liquid, leche de tigre, tiger's milk, is a sharp, concentrated mix of lime, fish juices and chilli, and it is prized in its own right. It is drunk from the bowl at the end or served separately as a bracing shot. For many it is the best part of the dish.
The Pacific Coast
Ceviche connects Peru's kitchen directly to its sea, the cold Humboldt Current yielding the fish and the Andes the aji amarillo that flavours it. It is firmly a lunch dish, eaten when the catch is freshest, never at dinner. Bright, cold and sharp, it is the clearest taste of the Peruvian coast.
What to Expect
The ceviche arrives cold on a chilled plate, the fish opaque at the edges and still translucent at the centre. The leche de tigre pools at the base. The diner eats with the choclo and sweet potato, then drinks the remaining liquid from the bowl.
Why Try It
Ceviche is the dish that most directly connects Peru's Pacific coast to its kitchen, the cold Humboldt Current produces the fish, the Andean ají amarillo provides the heat.
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Insider Tips
Eat it for lunch only. Ceviche is lunch food in Peru, never dinner.
La Mar Cebichería in Lima is the most celebrated address. Central and Maido are for the elaborated versions.
Drink the leche de tigre from the bowl at the end. It's the most intensely flavoured element.
