Peruvian Ceviche

• Prep30 min
• Cook25 min
• Total55 min
• Serves6

Ingredients

For the sides

• 500 g water (2 cups)
• 2 small orange sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1.5 cm slices (about 400 g / 14 oz, 1/2 in slices)
• 200 g frozen Peruvian corn (choclo) or sweet corn kernels (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 pinch salt

For the leche de tigre

• 120 g fresh lime juice (1/2 cup, from 6 to 8 limes)
• 30 g fish trimmings, from the fish below (1 oz)
• 1 garlic clove
• 5 g fresh ginger, peeled (a 1/2 in piece)
• 30 g celery, in pieces (1/2 stalk)
• 5 g cilantro stems
• 15 g ají amarillo paste (1 tbsp)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 ice cubes

For the ceviche

• 500 g very fresh, firm white fish fillet sold for raw use, such as corvina, snapper or flounder (1 lb 2 oz)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced (about 80 g)
• 1 ají limo or red Fresno chili, thinly sliced
• 10 g fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (1/4 cup)

Instructions

1. Place the water in the mixing bowl. Place the sweet potato slices in the Varoma dish, put the Varoma in position and steam 25 min/Varoma/speed 1, until tender. Let them cool and refrigerate them. Empty the mixing bowl and rinse it with cold water.
2. Meanwhile, toast the corn in a dry skillet on the stove over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until lightly charred. Season it with the pinch of salt and let it cool.
3. Soak the sliced onion in ice water for 10 minutes and drain it well. Cut the fish into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes, saving about 30 g of trimmings, and keep the cubes in a glass bowl in the fridge.
4. Place the lime juice, fish trimmings, garlic, ginger, celery, cilantro stems, ají amarillo paste, salt and ice cubes in the mixing bowl and blend 30 sec/speed 8. Strain the leche de tigre through the simmering basket into a jug.
5. Season the fish with the 1/2 tsp salt, pour the leche de tigre over it and add the onion, chili and chopped cilantro. Toss gently and let it marinate in the fridge for 3 to 5 minutes, until the edges of the fish turn opaque.
6. Serve right away in chilled bowls with some of the leche de tigre, a slice of sweet potato and the toasted corn.

Tips

• Food safety: lime juice does not cook fish the way heat does. Buy fish sold for raw use from a trusted fish counter, keep it very cold and serve the ceviche as soon as it is ready.
• Squeeze the limes gently by hand. Pressing too hard pulls bitterness from the peel into the juice.
• Ají amarillo paste, a fruity yellow Peruvian chili paste, is sold in jars in the Latin aisle. It gives the leche de tigre its color and gentle heat.
• For a party, serve the ceviche in small cups or glasses with a spoon, and the sweet potato and corn on the side.