Ceviche: Mexico vs Peru

VS

Ceviche is a latin american dish that consists of chopped vegetables and cubes of raw seafood (mostly fish) that has been marinated and 'cooked' for a few hours in the acids of citrus juice. The origin of this dish is disputed but most believe that it originated in Peru during the Spanish colonial period. Lima, the present day capital of Peru was the capital of a region called the Viceroyalty Of Peru. Which consists of most of the present day countries in South America. Which is why Ceviche was introduced to many other latin american countries. All which added their own regional touch to this dish. Ceviche's fame and popularity was so great that it eventually made its way to the Caribbean and Mexico (which were not part of the Viceroyalty).

If we ever find Ceviche in Singapore, it is usually the Mexican version. The typical Ceviche found here are those usually served in small bowls or cocktail cups and eaten with doritos or tostitos. And the ingredients are all too familiar. Cubes of raw fish mixed with diced avocado, tomatoes, coriander, onions, salt and chili marinated in a base of lime or lemon juice and oil. Mexican Ceviche also uses raw prawns, octopus or squid to replace the fish or as an extra addition sometimes. Although this version is not very common (if availabe at all) in Singapore. Mexican Ceviche is seen as one with lots of character and one that uses more readily available items such as tuna and mackerel.

Peruvian Ceviche on the other hard, is viewed by many as being very distinct. It has many regional variations. But the standard form consists of chunks of raw fish 'cooked' in the juice of either lime or bitter orange and mixed with onions, chilis, salt and pepper. What makes Peruvian Ceviche different from the usual Mexican version is the way that it is served. It is not eaten with tostadas as most people are used to. Instead, the mixture is served with cooked corn-on-the-cob and sweet potatoes. In certain regions of Peru, people also eat Ceviche with toasted corn and even seaweed. The standard traditional fish for Peruvian Ceviche is sea bass. In some areas, shark and sole are also commonly used. Due to a large influx of Japanese immigrants in Peru during the 19th century, Peru also has Ceviches which are made in a more 'sashimi' way. Which means marinating the fish in the citric acid of choice only for a short period of time. And then serving it promptly so that it is 'cooked' on the outside but still raw inside (think of it as tataki cubes).

We recommend using sashimi-grade fish for Ceviche as it is ultimately still a raw dish. Sashimi-grade fish is expensive in Singapore. But Fassler's Gourmet at Woodlands sells excellent vaccum packed sashimi-grade fish that can be stored in the freezer for long periods of time. After a quick thaw, it can be used to whip up a delicious Ceviche anytime. Do check out http://www.fassler.sg/ . We were absolutely floored when we made a little trip to Fassler's a few months ago.