Knowra Ceviche Ceviche Ceviche is a dish of raw fish or seafood marinated in citrus juice, often with onions, chili peppers, and herbs. Its acidity changes the seafood’s texture without cooking it with heat.
Protein denaturation : Protein denaturation is a change in a protein’s structure that can alter its texture and function. Acid unfolds seafood proteins, creating ceviche’s opaque, firmer texture.
Peruvian cuisine : Peruvian cuisine is the diverse food tradition of Peru, shaped by Indigenous, European, African, and Asian influences. Ceviche is a defining dish within Peru’s varied regional cuisines.
White fish : White fish is a culinary category of mildly flavored fish with pale flesh, including cod, hake, and sea bass. Firm, mild white fish is a common base for many ceviches.
Peruvian ceviche : Peruvian ceviche is a preparation of raw fish briefly dressed with lime, chili, onion, and often cilantro. It is a prominent national style, commonly served with sweet potato and corn.
Cooking : Cooking uses heat to transform food’s texture, flavor, and chemical or microbial properties. Ceviche’s acid changes texture, but it is not heat-cooked.
Citric acid : Citric acid is a weak organic acid found naturally in citrus fruits. It contributes the acidity that changes the seafood’s proteins.
Moche culture : The Moche were an ancient civilization on Peru’s northern coast, flourishing roughly from the first to eighth centuries CE. Archaeological evidence connects ancient coastal Peruvians with seafood traditions, though ceviche’s precise origin is uncertain.
Shrimp : Shrimp are small swimming crustaceans eaten as seafood. Shrimp ceviche is a popular variation, often using cooked shrimp rather than raw.
Ecuadorian ceviche : Ecuadorian ceviche is a family of seafood preparations often served in a more abundant, tomato-rich marinade. Its brothier style contrasts with the drier, briefly dressed Peruvian version.
Sashimi : Sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish or seafood served without the citrus marinade characteristic of ceviche. Both feature raw seafood, but sashimi is not acid-marinated.
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