Brazilian Style Ceviche Appetiser
Brazilian style Ceviche
A popular dish mastered in Peru, according to some sources ceviche dates back 2000 years, all the way back during the Inca Empire where fish were marinated with a fermented beverage. With the arrival of the Europeans, the natives started to marinate the fish with citrus fruits introduced by the Spanish colonists.
There are many different stories regarding its origin, nevertheless, ceviche is recognised as a traditional Peruvian dish.
I first tried ceviche in my early teens, I remember very well my dad preparing this very simple and yet very tasty dish consisting of white fish, ginger, lime juice and salt.
Ceviche has since been adopted worldwide, it makes great little appetisers and or as part of a salad dish. Local variations of this authentic Peruvian dish are worth trying.
Here is the Brazilian recipe which can be found in coastal cities across Brazil.
Ingredients:
400g Fresh Cod or any other white fish of your choice, sustainably sourced.
400ml freshly squeezed lime juice, about 6 good sized limes.
1/2 Mango, chopped into small cubes.
150g Cucumber, deseeded and chopped into small cubes.
1 large red onion, finely sliced (the thinner the better).
1tbs Ginger, finely chopped.
1 Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (I like my food HOT so a chose a really spicy chilly).
Fresh coriander, chopped to taste.
Salt and black pepper to taste.
Extra virgin olive oil to taste.
Instructions:
The recipe is really simple and it’s all about the preparation.
First, cut the fish fillets into 1cm cubes, place it into a bowl together with your chopped mango, cucumber, sliced onion, ginger, red chillies, coriander, salt and pepper.
Mix it all together, add the lime juice and a bit of extra virgin olive oil and mix it well.
Transfer the ceviche to a glass bowl and make sure the ingredients are covered by the lime juice, cover the bowl with clean film and place it in the fridge for at least one hour before serving.
Some chefs would serve the ceviche straight away as not to let the citrus juice cook the fish. I like it to let it marinate in the fridge for a while and let the fish really capture all those flavours.
Best served straight out of the fridge.
Serving suggestions:
- Serve it on its own, it is a great fish appetiser.
- Mix it with fresh salad, over a bed of wild rockets and char-grilled zucchini.
- Over a crispy toast.
Share your ceviche comments with us.
We look forward to hearing from our readers, especially our Peruvian friends.
