Ceviche (pronounced: seh-vee-chay), the absolutely delicious dish made of fresh raw fish and tart citrus juices, has slowly become a staple on the menus of restaurants around the globe. Once a dish centralized to the coastal regions of Latin America, its unique tangy flavors has received widespread acclaim from chefs in every major city.
Its origin, though, is often disputed. According to a number of historic accounts from Peru, ceviche was created by the Moche, a civilization founded on the cast almost two thousand years ago. Using the fermented juice from local passionfruit, they pickled the raw fish and ate it without garnishes. However, more recent reports have uncovered that throughout the Incan empire, raw fish was marinated with chicha, a fermented beverage local to the Andes. Served with salt and ají (a spicy sauce made with tomatoes, cilantro, pepper, and water), ceviche was never served garnished with citrus juices until the Spanish colonist arrived to South America. Interestingly, it is also possible that the dish originated in Ecuador or even the Polynesian islands in the South Pacific.
Today, ceviche has spread across South and Latin America and each culture has created its own style of the iconic dish. In Peru, ceviche sticks to its roots and is served in a minimalistic style with just red onions and cilantro to garnish. In Ecuador, ceviche is served with tomatoes and instead of raw fish, fresh shrimp is used as the main ingredient. In Mexico, ceviche is served alongside tostadas or salted crackers. Perhaps the most different variation on the traditional recipe, Salvadorian and Nicaraguan chefs make black clam ceviche. Black clam ceviche is prepared with onion, mint, lime juice, tomato, and Worcester sauce.
Want to make your own version of the world renowned ceviche? Click here to check out an amazing recipe from the New York.
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