"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
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 for less than two minutes. The acid denatures the proteins without heat — the fish turns opaque and firms slightly at the surface while remaining raw at the centre. Served with choclo corn and sweet potato.
The marinating liquid — leche de tigre (tiger's milk) — is the concentrated, intensely flavoured juice of lime, fish juices and ají amarillo. Drunk separately as a shot or used to dress the ceviche further, it is Peru's most sought-after condiment.
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. You eat with the choclo and sweet potato, then drink 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.
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.
