سيفيتشي بيروفي
Peru's bright, beachy classic: fresh white fish 'cooked' in lime juice with chili, red onion, and cilantro, served with the citrusy leche de tigre, sweet potato, and toasted corn. Ten minutes, raw technique, total freshness.
Cut very fresh white fish into 2 cm cubes. Toss with fresh lime juice, sliced red onion, minced ají (or chili), grated garlic, salt, and cilantro. Let it 'cook' in the lime just a few minutes until the fish turns opaque at the edges but stays tender. Serve immediately with the leche de tigre, sweet potato, and toasted corn.
- Use the freshest sashimi-grade white fish you can — ceviche is raw technique; freshness is everything.
- Don't over-marinate: just a few minutes in lime. Leave it too long and the fish turns chalky and tough.
- The leche de tigre (the citrusy, spicy marinade) is half the dish — many drink the leftover by the glass.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Glass or non-reactive bowl
المكونات
Ceviche
- 500 g very fresh white fish (sea bass, snapper, sole), skinless, boneless
- 120 ml fresh lime juice, about 8 limes
- ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 ají limo or fresh chili, deseeded and minced
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- Small piece of ginger, grated (optional)
- 5 g salt, to taste
- Handful cilantro, chopped
To serve
- 1 cooked sweet potato (camote), sliced
- Cooked corn (choclo) or toasted corn (cancha)
- Lettuce leaves
الطريقة
- خطوة01
Slice the red onion paper-thin and rinse it in cold water for a few minutes to soften its bite. Drain.
- خطوة02
With a sharp knife, cut the very fresh fish into even 2 cm cubes. Keep it cold.
- خطوة03
In a bowl, combine the lime juice, grated garlic, ginger, minced ají, and salt. This citrusy, spicy liquid is the leche de tigre.
- خطوة04
Add the fish cubes to the lime mixture and toss to coat. Let it sit just 3–5 minutes — the edges turn opaque while the centre stays tender. Don't leave it longer or it overcooks and toughens.
- خطوة05
Fold in the drained red onion and the cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and lime.
- خطوة06
Spoon the ceviche and its leche de tigre onto plates with lettuce, slices of sweet potato, and corn. Serve right away, while bright and cold.
Make ahead
Prep everything separately ahead — cut the fish (keep cold), juice the limes, slice the onion, cook the sweet potato and corn. Combine and cure only minutes before serving.
Storage
Eat immediately — ceviche does not keep, as the lime keeps 'cooking' the fish into a tough, chalky state. Make it just before serving.
Variations
Ceviche mixto
Add shrimp, octopus, or squid (blanched) along with the fish for a mixed seafood ceviche.
Leche de tigre as a shot
Serve the spicy citrus marinade on its own in a glass — a Peruvian pick-me-up and famed hangover cure.
Mango or avocado
Add diced mango or avocado for a sweeter, creamier modern take.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
الأسئلة الشائعة
Is the fish raw or cooked?
It's 'cooked' by the acid, not heat — the citric acid in lime juice denatures the proteins, turning the fish opaque and firm at the surface much like heat does. The centre stays tender. Because there's no heat, the fish must be very fresh and safe to eat raw.
How long should the fish marinate?
Just 3–5 minutes in the modern Peruvian style — the edges turn opaque while the inside stays silky. Long marination (the old style) fully firms the fish but makes it chalky and tough. Serve it bright and barely cured.
What fish should I use?
Very fresh, firm white fish — sea bass (corvina), snapper, sole, or halibut. It must be sashimi-grade and safe to eat raw, since it's never heated. Freshness and quality are the whole dish.
What is leche de tigre?
'Tiger's milk' — the spicy, citrusy, savory marinade left after curing the fish (lime, ají, garlic, fish juices, salt). It's beloved enough to be served on its own in a glass, and is famed as a restorative and hangover cure.
Can I make it ahead?
No — combine and cure it only minutes before serving. You can prep all the components separately ahead (cut fish kept cold, juice, onion, sides), but once the fish hits the lime the clock is running.
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