Ceviche

Ceviche,cebiche,sebiche, orseviche(Spanish pronunciation:[seˈβitʃe]) is a cold dish consisting offishorshellfishmarinatedincitrusandseasonings. Different versions of ceviche are part of the culinary cultures of variousLatin Americancountries along thePacific Oceanwhere each one is native, includingChile,Colombia,Costa Rica,Ecuador,El Salvador,Guatemala,Honduras,Mexico,Nicaragua,Panama, andPeru. Ceviche is considered thenational dishof Peru and is recognized byUNESCOas an expression ofPeruvian traditional cuisineand anIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The fish or shellfish in ceviche isserved raw; thecitric acidfrom the citrus marinade causes the proteins in the seafood to becomedenatured, resulting in the dish appearing to be "cooked" without the application of heat. The fish is typically cured inlemonor sourlimejuice, althoughsour orangewas historically used. The dressing also includes some local variety ofchili pepperorchili, replaced bymustardin some parts of Central America. The marinade usually also includes sliced or choppedonionsand choppedcilantro, though in some regions such as Mexico,tomatoes,avocadoes, andtomato saucemay be included.
Ceviche is often eaten as anappetizer; if eaten as a main dish, it is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavors, such assweet potato,lettuce,maize,avocado, orfried plantains, among various other accompaniments.
The first documented evidence of the termcevicheis from 1820, in the patriotic song "La Chicha," considered the first Peruvian national anthem.
According to theRoyal Spanish Academy, the word might have the same etymology as the Spanish termescabeche, which derives fromMozarabicizkebêch, in turn descending fromAndalusian Arabicassukkabáǧ, which also derives fromClassical Arabicsakbāj(سكباج,meaning meat cooked in vinegar).It is ultimately from the unattestedMiddle Persian*sikbāg, fromsik("vinegar")and*bāg("soup"), which also yielded thePersianwordsekbā(سکبا, a soup made with meat and vinegar).Another hypothesis is that it derives from the Quechua wordsiwichi, meaning fresh fish.
The name of the dish is spelled variously ascebiche,ceviche,seviche, orsebiche, but the most common spelling iscevichewithv, such as in Peru, which is an alternative spelling accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy.There are also other local variants of the name, includingcerbicheandserviche.
Various explanations of the dish's origins exist, with Peruvian researchers favoring a Pre-Hispanic origin. According to some historic sources from Peru, theCaral civilizationthat developed in central Peru between 3500 BC. to 1800 BC. has left evidence of the use and consumption of rawperuvian anchovywith chili and salt, according to the investigations of archaeologistRuth Shady.Another predecessor of ceviche originated among theMoche, a coastal civilization that began to flourish in present-day northern Peru nearly 2,000 years ago.The Moche used the fermented juice from the localbanana passionfruit.Recent investigations further show that during theInca Empire, fish was marinated withchicha, an Andeanfermented beverage. Different chronicles also report that along theIncancoast before the arrival of Spaniards, fish was consumed with salt andají.
The dish is popular in thePacificcoastal regions of westernSouth America.The technique of macerating raw fish and meat in vinegar, citrus, and spices (escabeche) was brought to the Americas from Spain and is linked to the Muslim heritage in Spanish cuisine. However, archeological records suggest that something resembling ceviche may have been indigenous to western South America as early as 2,000 years ago.
Nevertheless, some historians believe that ceviche originated duringcolonial timesin present-day Peru and Ecuador.They propose that a predecessor to the dishwas brought to the area byAndalusianwomen ofMoorishbackground who accompanied the Conquistadors and that this dish eventually evolved into what nowadays is considered ceviche.The Peruvian chefGastón Acuriofurther explains that the dominant position that Lima held throughout four centuries as the capital of theViceroyalty of Peru, which at one point included most of western South America, allowed for popular dishes such as ceviche to be brought to other administrative provinces in the region, and in time becoming local cuisine incorporating regional flavors and styles.
National GeographicandTaste Atlasrecognize the origin of Ceviche in Peru. The Peruvian origin of the dish is supported by chefs including the Chilean Christopher Carpentier and the SpaniardFerran Adrià, who in an interview stated, "Cebiche was born in Peru, and so the authentic and genuine [cebiche] is Peruvian."
The first recipe of this dish was published by Manual Atanasio Fuentes in "The Guide of Lima."
Its origin is also attributed to places ranging fromCentral AmericatoPolynesia.In Ecuador, it may have had its origins in coastal civilizations, as Ecuador shares cultural heritages (such as the Inca Empire) and a wide variety of fish and shellfish with Peru. The Ecuadorian position traces the origin of ceviche to the harvest of the Spondylus shell in the years 3500 BC to 1500 BC in theValdivia culturewhich had a diet that used marine products that were later used in ceviche.The Spanish, who brought citrus fruits such as the lime from Europe, may have originated the dish in Spain with roots inMoorishcuisine.Peruvian historian Juan José Vega supports the theory put forward by Fernando Rueda García, historian ofMálagaand a member of the Andalusian Ethnology Commission, who suggests that it was Moorish slaves who created ceviche by mixing local and foreign ingredients that were arriving on theIberian Peninsula.
Ceviche is marinated in a citrus-based mixture, with lemons and limes most commonly used. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to becomedenatured, resulting in the dish appearing to be cooked without the application of heat. Because the dish is eaten raw and not cooked with heat, it must be prepared fresh and consumed immediately to minimize the risk offood poisoning.Acid marinades will not kill bacteria or parasitic worms, unlike the heat of cooking. Traditional-style ceviche was marinated for about three hours. Modern-style ceviche, popularized in the 1970s, usually has a very short marinating period. The appropriate fish can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the ceviche to the table.
Accompaniments to ceviche vary greatly by region: in Ecuador, ceviche is served withfried plantains,popcorn, ortostones; in Colombia, Panama, and Guatemala, it is served withsaltine crackers, though in the northcookiesortoastare used as a garnish; in Mexico, it is served with corntostadasor crackers; in Panama, the spicy chombo chili pepper is sometimes added to taste; and in Peru, it is served with boiled root vegetables (such assweet potatoes,cassava, or rarelypotatoes), grains or seeds such as boiled or roastedcorn,legumes, fried plantains,seaweed, orlettuce; sometimes it can also be accompanied bychilcano(broth made from fish heads).
Most Latin American countries have given ceviche its own touch of individuality by adding their own particular garnishes.
In Peru, ceviche has been declared part of the country's national heritage and has even had a holiday declared in its honor.The classicPeruvian cevicheis composed of chunks of rawfish,marinatedin freshly squeezedkey lime, with sliced onions, chili peppers, salt and pepper.Corvinaor cebo (sea bass) was the fish traditionally used. The mixture was traditionally marinated for several hours and served at room temperature, with chunks of corn on the cob and slices of cookedsweet potato. Regional or contemporary variations include garlic, fish bone broth, minced Peruvianají limo, or the Andean chilirocoto, toasted corn orcanchaandyuyo(seaweed). A specialty ofTrujillois ceviche prepared from shark (tolloortojo).Lenguado(sole) is often used inLima. The modern version of Peruvian ceviche, similar to the method used in making Japanesesashimi, consists of fish marinated for a few minutes and served promptly. It was developed in the 1970s by Peruvian-Japanese chefs, including Dario Matsufuji and Humberto Sato.Many Peruviancevicheríasserve a small glass of the marinade, which is calledleche de tigreorleche de pantera, as an appetizer along with the fish.
According to a study of theInter-American Development Bank(IDB) about innovation in Peruvian cuisine and its connection with Peruvian cultural diversity (2022),an example of the impact on gastronomy of culture and population diversity throughout its territory —in which fishers, farmers and chefs come together— is the great variety of ceviches offered by Peruvian marine cuisine. In his book Ceviche Power (2015),Gaston Acuriodocuments the different nuances through the tour of the ceviche route through Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Ancash, the Lima coast, Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna. This great diversity has motivated different chefs to create new types of ceviches.
In Ecuador, the classic ceviche is made up of pieces of fish pickled in lemon juice and cookedor shrimp cooked using the tomato juice or water along with the shrimp shells,with sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, salt, pepper, cilantro, and oil. The mixture is traditionally marinated for several hours and served with a bowl of toasted corn kernels as a side dish; fried green plantain chunks called "patacones", or thinly slicedplantainchips calledchifles. In some regions, ceviche is served with rice on the side. Ceviches in Ecuador are seasoned with tomato sauce, mustard, and oil. TheManabístyle, made with lemon juice, salt, and the juice provided by the cooked shrimp itself, and sometimes topped with peanut butter, is very popular. Occasionally, ceviche is made with various types of local shellfish, such as blackclam(cooked or raw),oysters(cooked or raw),spondylus(raw),barnacles(cooked percebes), among others mostly cooked.  Well-cooked sea bass (corvina) or bicuda (picudo), octopus, and crab ceviches are also common in Ecuador. In all ceviches, red onion, lemon juice, cilantro, salt, and oil are ubiquitous ingredients.
In Chile, ceviche is often made with fillets ofhalibutorPatagonian toothfishand marinated in lime and grapefruit juices; finely minced garlic and red chili peppersand often fresh mint and cilantro are added.OnEaster Island, the preferred fish istuna, marinated in lemon juice and coconut milk.
In Colombia, cebiches or shrimp cocktails,oysters, crabs, squid, chipi chipi, among others, and combinations of them are prepared. The sauce includes tomato sauce, mayonnaise, garlic sauce, cilantro, chopped white onion, lemon juice, among other seasonings. They are accompanied with salty soda cracker.
In Mexico, the U.S., and some parts of Central America, it is served either in cocktail cups withtostadasor as a tostada topping and taco filling. In Mexico, when served in a cup with tomato sauce, it is called a ceviche cocktail.Shrimp, octopus,squid, tuna, andmackerelare also popular bases for Mexican ceviche. The marinade ingredients include salt,lime, onion, chili peppers,avocado, andcilantro(coriander). Cutolivesand tomatoes are often added to the preparation.
In El Salvador and Nicaragua, one popular ceviche recipe isceviche de concha negra("black conch ceviche"), known in Mexico aspata de mula("mule's foot"). It is dark, nearly black, with a distinct look and flavor. It is prepared with lime juice, onion,yerba buena, salt, pepper, tomato,Worcestershire sauce, and sometimespicante(any hot sauce or any kind of hot pepper) as desired.
The dish includes marinated fish, lime juice, salt, ground black pepper, finely minced onions, cilantro, and finely minced peppers in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It is usually served in a cocktail glass with a lettuce leaf and soda crackers on the side, as in Mexico. Popular condiments are tomatoketchup,mayonnaise, andTabasco sauce. The fish is typically tilapia or corvina, althoughmahi-mahi,shark, andmarlinare also popular.
In Panama, ceviche is prepared with lemon juice, chopped onion, celery, cilantro, assorted peppers, and sea salt. Ceviche made with corvina (white sea bass) is very popular and is served as an appetizer in most local restaurants. It is also commonly prepared with octopus, shrimp, andsquidor served with small pastry shells called "canastitas."
In the Caribbean, ceviche is often made using mahi-mahi prepared with lime juice, salt, onion, green pepper,habanero, and a touch ofallspice. Squid and tuna are also popular. In Puerto Rico and other places in the Caribbean, the dish is prepared with coconut milk. In the Bahamas and south Florida, aconchceviche known asconch saladis very popular. It is prepared by marinating diced fresh conch in lime, chopped onions, andbell pepper. Dicedpequin pepperorScotch bonnet pepperis often added for spice. In south Florida, it is common to encounter a variation to which tomato juice has been added.
Bad sanitary conditions in its preparation may lead to illness. Aside from contaminants, raw seafood can also be the vector for various pathogens, viral and bacterial, as well as larger parasitic creatures.According to theFood and Drug Administrationand studies since 2009, specific microbial hazards in ceviche includeAnisakis simplex,Diphyllobothriumspp.,Pseudoterranova decipiensandPseudoterranova cattani, andVibrio parahaemolyticus.Anisakiasisis a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of larval nematodes in raw seafood dishes such as ceviche.The Latin Americancholeraoutbreaks in the 1990s may have been attributed to the consumption of raw cholera-infested seafood that was eaten as ceviche.
TheAmerican Dietetic Associationurges women to avoid ceviche during pregnancy due to the health risks it introduces if not prepared properly.
In December 2023, the practices and meanings associated with the preparation and consumption of ceviche, were recognized byUNESCOas an expression ofPeruvian traditional cuisineand anIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The statement was made within the framework of the eighteenth session of its Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. As a basis for its decision, it was considered that the preparation and consumption of ceviche in Peru, "entail specific practices, knowledge and meanings at each stage, from fishing to cultivating the ingredients and preparing the dish. As recipes vary from one region to the next, the dish also strengthens regional cultural identity".
In awarding the honor to Peru's ceviche, UNESCO highlighted the role of the dish in Peru's cultural identity, the importance of artisanal sustainable fishers and traditional female ceviche cooks in cevicherías, regional variations of the dish, and how the knowledge of ingredients and techniques are passed down through families in Peru.