No Need to Get on a Plane: Make Peruvian Ceviche at Home

The Seattle Times - WHEN I WENT to Peru last year, the first stop on my list was El Mercado for ceviche. After landing in Lima, I rushed my family through customs in order to reach the restaurant in Miraflores before it closed. Raw fish in lime juice might not immediately come to mind after a 12-hour flight, but it was my first time to Peru, and I was eager to experience the local food and pisco sours (pisco is a white brandy made from grapes).

The practice of seasoning fish with salt, peppers and citrus juice dates to ancient civilizations in Peru. Acidic juice changes the proteins of the fish much like cooking does, making it opaque and firm. Today ceviche is a popular appetizer in Central and South America, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean.

Preparations vary according to type of seafood, toppings and marinating times. Regardless, the prep time is minimal, and the result is flavorful and refreshing.As I ate my way through Peru, I discovered the secret weapon behind the country’s famous ceviche: leche de tigre, or tiger’s milk, essentially a brine of citrus juice and peppers. This nectar is so beloved in Peru that people slurp it after eating ceviche and even drink it in cocktails. Some consider it a hangover cure and an aphrodisiac. Wild claims aside, leche packs incredible flavor and magically transforms raw fish.