What is missing in this recipe for Peruvian fish ceviche?
I've tried fish ceviche from many Peruvian restaurants where I live (Houston TX), and they seem to taste about the same.
So I tried to recreate their secret recipe but there's something missing.
For the fish, I used mahi-mahi, although I think these restaurants use red snapper. The fish I used is not fresh, but "previously frozen". I suspect they don't use fresh fish, either.
For the marinade, I use key lime juice, Kosher salt, garlic and cilantro. And I let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
But the flavor turns out to be too acidic and unpleasant. I'm wondering if I need to dilute the key lime juice with water or perhaps add a bit of sugar.
What am I doing wrong? What secret ingredient am I missing?
Best Answer
In general, ceviche is marinated/cured, using citrus as the main ingredient, with other possible ingredients (onions, garlic, etc). That initial marinade is drained off, then the ceviche is "dressed" for serving. It sounds like you are not draining the initial marinade. This could be causing the excess acidity.
Pictures about "What is missing in this recipe for Peruvian fish ceviche?"
What is the main ingredient of ceviche typical food from Peru?
CevicheCourseMain course, appetizerRegion or stateNorthwest PeruServing temperatureCold; cured with lime juiceMain ingredientsFish, lime, lemon, onion, chili pepper, coriander2 more rowsHow is Peruvian ceviche different?
Peruvian style fish cebiche or ceviche is different than the Ecuadorian ceviche that I grew up with, some of the main differences are that the ones made in Peru tend to marinate for less time in lime juice, and the use of spicy hot peppers is more common in Peruvian cebiche.Why is Peruvian ceviche so good?
Ceviche is marinated in a lime-based mixture with onions, aji and rocoto peppers. The citric acid from the limes \u201ccooks\u201d the fish so that it can be eaten straight away. While the acid of the limes will allow you to eat it raw, the acid marinade will not kill bacteria or parasitic worms, unlike the heat of cooking.What is authentic ceviche made of?
Ceviche (or cebiche) is a seafood dish where diced raw fish is marinated in citrus until it is firm and opaque, then mixed with flavorful veggies like onions, peppers, and cilantro. The fish is not cooked, but rather the acid denatures the protein of the fish, curing it and giving it a cooked appearance.How to Make Ceviche: Peruvian Seafood Dish
More answers regarding what is missing in this recipe for Peruvian fish ceviche?
Answer 2
What you're missing is called "leche de tigre", which is the particular marinade used for Peruvian ceviche, and has several more ingredients than the ones you've named, such as fish stock, fish puree, onions, garlic, and peppers. Here's a recipe just for the marinade, and another one with a whole ceviche preparation.
I suspect that the ceviche recipe you're following is for Mexican ceviche, which is, traditionally, very acidic.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Marianna, Ryutaro Tsukata, Ryutaro Tsukata, Ryutaro Tsukata