Peruvian Ceviche (Ceviche de Pescado)

Ceviche is proof that some of the best cooking involves barely any cooking at all. Cubes of impeccably fresh white fish are tossed with lime juice, chili, red onion, and coriander, and in the time it takes to set the table the acid has firmed the fish to silky opacity. It’s bright, sour, spicy, and clean — Peru’s national dish, and a point of real national pride along the country’s long Pacific coast.

The whole thing comes together in under half an hour, but it lives or dies on one thing: the fish.

Freshness is the whole game

Because ceviche is essentially raw, there’s nowhere to hide. Buy the freshest firm white fish you can — sushi-grade sea bass, sole, halibut, or bream — from a fishmonger you trust, and tell them what it’s for. Keep it ice-cold right up to the moment it meets the lime. Everything else in the recipe is seasoning; the fish is the dish.

Leche de tigre: the soul of it

The marinade has a name of its own — leche de tigre, “tiger’s milk” — and Peruvians prize it enough to drink it straight as a restorative. At its simplest it’s lime juice, chili, garlic, and salt. For the classic cloudy, slightly creamy version, blend in a small piece of fish and a few ice cubes and strain. Use only fresh lime juice, and don’t squeeze the limes too hard, or the bitter pith leaches in.

Don’t over-cure

Here’s where most home cooks go wrong: they leave the fish in the lime too long. Modern Peruvian ceviche is barely cured — three to five minutes — so it stays tender and almost raw at the centre. Leave it sitting and the acid keeps working, turning the fish chalky and tough. Dress it, fold in the onion and coriander, and serve it that instant, with sweet potato and toasted corn to balance the sour and the heat.

Looking for more bright, fresh dishes? Browse the full recipe collection, or read more cultural stories on the traditions behind the food.