10 Jun Peruvian Ceviche Recipe with caramelised Sweet Potatoes
When you think about Peruvian recipes, it will be accurate to assume that Ceviche Peruano will be on the top of the list. It is one of the most iconic food amongst Peruvians and is considered a national dish of Peru.
Ceviche has a special place in my heart because I always eat it with friends and family, so I remember many good conversations about it. Peruvians will get no excuse to eat it, but we consume more on sunny days. Is funny, but every time seafood restaurants see a sunny day ahead, they know their Ceviche consumption will rise to the top.
Even though you have Ceviche in almost every Latin American country, ours have a raw fish; we almost serve it as sashimi with aromatic citrus juices because we have a strong Japanese influence. Not in vain, Tiradito, the cousin of Ceviche, is raw fish cut into slices like sashimi with the ceviche sauce on top.
I love a classic Peruvian ceviche made out of raw fish, onions, fresh lime juice and chilli, but if you go to Peru, you will see so many versions of it like seafood ceviche, ceviche de concha Negra, etc.
Ingredients:
- raw fish
- fish stock
- garlic
- ginger
- celery sticks
- cilantro or coriander
- onions
- chilli or hot peppers
- limes
- sweet potatoes
- Sunkist or Fanta
- salt
First, we need to prepare the caramelised sweet potatoes. You must peel them, cut them into big slices, and put them on a pan. Pour a whole bottle of Sunkist or Fanta to cover the sweet potatoes. With the lid over the pot, cook the sweet potatoes over medium heat for 30 minutes, more or less, until they are tender and the liquid has almost evaporated and caramelised the slices. Let them rest. Check them continuously until they are done.
Meanwhile, you have to choose the freshest fish you can reach in the local market and try to slice it into big cubes. Salt the fish cubes and let them rest in the refrigerator to have them at the right temperature while eating. Put the odd fish pieces aside to use for the Leche de Tigre.
Also, it would be best if you prepared the key limes juice by hand, don’t use any device; otherwise, you will have the extra bitterness from the lime. So cut them in the middle and squeeze them. You have to strain the juice for any seed.
In the meantime, peel the red onions cut them in half and then slice them thinly. Put the thin slices of red onion into a bowl with cold water and a pinch of salt. This could help let the onion crisp and lose some harsh flavours. Also, cut the red chilli peppers or aji Amarillo into thin squares and set them aside. Wash the fresh cilantro and cut the leaves into tiny pieces—Reserve the stalks.
To prepare the Leche de Tigre, we need to put in a blender the fish stock, the fresh fish in uneven slices, a stick of celery, a bit of garlic, a piece of ginger, a quart of red onion, salt, the stalk of coriander and habanero peppers or aji Amarillo. Blend it well, and then strain the liquids for the tiger’s milk.
Mix the lime juice, chilli pieces, cilantro, and thin onions (already strained from the water) and add the Leche de Tigre until you like the taste. Combine fish with the rest of the ingredients and serve it with caramelised sweet potato slices and Peruvian corn. Because the great thing about Peruvian Ceviche is how fresh you fill it in your mouth, almost like raw fish with this acid mixture of lemon juice. You could add an extra crisp with some cancha corn to the side.
You could pair it with the national drink of Peru – Pisco Sour or a cold beer.
Frequently Asked Question about Traditional Peruvian Ceviche
No, you can’t; you have to eat it right away because of the fresh fish’s main ingredient of a fabulous ceviche.
The ones you will find in Peruvian cuisine are sole, Corvina or other cold-water white fish. But, honestly, you can make it with any fish you like because the authentic Ceviche is made from the catch of the day. You want to use the freshest fish.
Peruvian Ceviche Recipe with caramelised Sweet Potatoes
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
A staple among Peruvians, Ceviche is almost like a religion in Peru. Everybody will have the recipe for the authentic Peruvian Ceviche. Still, the reality is that Ceviche will have a particular flavour depending on who prepares it, even though it has few ingredients: raw fish, lime juice, onions, aji/chilli and Leche de Tigre.
Ingredients
- 400 grams of raw firm white fish
- 2 cups fish stock
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 piece of ginger (the size of dice)
- 1 celery stick
- cilantro or coriander
- 2 onions
- 2 chilli or hot peppers
- 1 kg lime
- 2 big sweet potatoes
- 1 1/2 litre of Sunkist or Fanta
- salt
Instructions
- The first is to make the caramelised sweet potatoes to rest and be cool to eat with the Ceviche. We don’t want any hot side dish for a good ceviche. Peeled the sweet potatoes and sliced them 2 cm (1 inch) thick. Put them in a pot and cover them with the Sunkist or Fanta; cover the pot with the lid and let them cook at medium temperature until the sweet potatoes are tender and the liquid has evaporated and has caramelised the sweet potatoes. It will cook for approximately 20 minutes. Then you have to be careful not to let the liquid burn because if it evaporates quickly, the sugar inside will be burnt.
- Cut the fish fillet into homogeneous cubes. Put the pieces in a bowl with some salt and let them rest in the fridge to conserve their freshness. The odd bits, you should reserve for the Leche de Tigre.
- Peeled the red onions, sliced them thinly, and let them rest in cold water to remain crisp and lose some intense flavours.
- Cut the chilis discarding the veins and seeds, but if you are looking for some spicy kick, let a little of the veins when you cut the chilli into little squares. Because I like the flavour, but I’m not a massive advocate of super spicy things. I prefer without the veins.
- Washed the cilantro and cut the leaves into tiny bits for later and reserved the stalls for the Leche de Tigre.
- Squeeze all the lime juice by hand and strain it for any loose seed—Reserve for later.
- To make the Leche de Tigre, you need a blender to put the odd fish pieces, a bit of garlic, a part of ginger, and the cilantro stalks (don’t put the leaves; otherwise will turn green), fragments of aji, fish stock and salt.
- Mix the lime with the Leche de Tigre taste for the assembly until you are OK with the flavour. Some people will like more acidic, others less, so if you want less, add more Leche de Tigre. Mix the juice with the onions, chilli and fish. Sprinkle with a bit of cilantro.
- Serve right away to have the freshest fish, but if it is your first time eating raw fish and you are a bit hesitant, let it rest for a couple of minutes in the lemon juice, and the fish will cook a little into the acidic. Serve with sweet potatoes and some white corn or Peruvian corn. Enjoy!
Notes
Always do the Leche de Tigre with the cilantro stalks otherwise, you will have a greenish Leche de Tigre.
Keywords: Peruvian Ceviche, Ceviche Peruano, Cebiche Peruano, Authentic Peruvian Ceviche, Leche de Tigre
Hi! I’m Valeria (aka Val) the photographer and recipe developer behind Canguro Criollo. My passion for food began when I was little at my home when everything will revolve around food and now I discover this new creative outlet of food photography. I wish you can follow my journey discovering unique ways of preparing Peruvian food abroad and some other family-friendly foods.
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