Ceviche is a dish that can be considered the national favorite of the country of Peru. While other Latin-American countries also have their own versions of this seafood dish, Peruvian ceviche is probably the most well-known and recognized ceviche style.
The base of this dish in Peru is whitefish and sometimes also contains shellfish and shrimp, but that is not the main flavor-producing ingredient in ceviche. Let’s check out what makes this dish so tasty and special.
Lemon and Lime
The base of any ceviche sauce is the citrus juices in which the fish and/or seafood spend time marinating before being prepared in the final dish. Lemon and lime are the two fruits used to liven up the flavor of the fish and to “cook” it without ever having heat applied to it.
Aji Pepper
Peru’s most famous spicy production is the aji pepper, a small yellow source of capsicum that is always included in the country’s version of ceviche. Sometimes fresh and sometimes sprinkled in dried, powdered form, the citrusy spiciness of the aji pepper is crucial for the dish’s taste.
Red Onion
The vegetables used in Peruvian ceviche can vary, but the one that you will always find in the dish is red onion. Thinly sliced and giving the dish a beautiful outward appearance, raw red onion gives the dish a sharpness and a bite.
