Ceviche

Ceviche is a tasty cold dish made from raw fish or shellfish. It is soaked in citrus juice and seasonings. People in many Latin American countries along the Pacific Ocean enjoy it. These countries include Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. In Peru, ceviche is the national dish and is very important to their culture.

Unlike raw fish dishes like sashimi, the citrus in ceviche changes the fish so it looks cooked, even without heat. Today, people usually use lemon or lime juice, but in the past they used juices from local fruits. The dish often has chili peppers, onions, cilantro, and sometimes tomatoes, avocados, or other ingredients depending on where it is made.

Ceviche is usually served as a starter. When it is a main dish, it is often served with starchy foods like sweet potato, lettuce, maize, avocado, or fried plantains.

Etymology

The word ceviche was first written down in 1820 in a song called "La Chicha," which was the first national anthem of Peru.

The name ceviche might come from an old Spanish word called escabeche. This word started from a language called Mozarabic. It came from Andalusian Arabic and then from Classical Arabic. It means meat cooked in vinegar.

Another idea is that the name comes from a Quechua word siwichi, which means fresh fish.

The dish can be spelled in different ways like cebiche, seviche, or sebiche, but the most common spelling is ceviche with a v, especially in Peru. There are also other local names such as cerbiche and serviche.

History

Long ago, before Europeans came, people on the Pacific coast of South America made a dish like ceviche. They used local acids and preservatives, not limes, which came later. Some think the Caral civilization in Peru, living between 3500 BC to 1800 BC, ate raw Peruvian anchovy with chili and salt. Others believe the Moche people, who lived in northern Peru about 2,000 years ago, used fermented banana passionfruit juice. During the Inca Empire, fish was mixed with chicha, a fermented corn beer, and ají (chili peppers).

The ceviche we know today started in the 16th century during Spanish colonial times. Limes, onions, and vinegar were introduced, mixing New World ingredients with Old World cooking methods. This created modern ceviche, which became popular along the Pacific coast of South America and later spread around the world.

Preparation and variants

Ceviche is made by mixing raw fish or shellfish with citrus juices, like lemon or lime. The acid in the citrus changes the fish’s texture, making it look cooked without using heat. It’s important to prepare ceviche fresh to keep it safe to eat.

Different countries add their own special touches. In Peru, it’s served with sweet potatoes, corn, or seaweed. In Ecuador, it might come with plantains or toasted corn. Mexico often serves it with corn chips or as a topping for tacos. Each place has its own favorite ways to enjoy this tasty dish.

Health risks

Eating raw seafood, like in ceviche, can sometimes make people sick because of tiny germs in the food. These germs can make people ill, especially if the seafood isn’t prepared safely.

Doctors and health experts advise women who are expecting babies to avoid ceviche unless it is made very carefully, to keep both them and their babies safe.

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

In December 2023, a group from UNESCO met in Botswana and decided that the way people in Peru make and enjoy ceviche should be protected. They said making ceviche needs special skills and traditions, from catching the fish to growing the ingredients and cooking the dish. Because recipes are different in each area, ceviche shows the unique culture of each place in Peru.

UNESCO praised how ceviche is important to Peru’s identity. They noted the importance of local fishers and traditional cooks, especially women, who make ceviche in special restaurants. They also said the knowledge of how to make ceviche is shared and passed down within families across Peru.