Bai Bing, a special correspondent of this newspaper in Peru.
Recently, Peruvian ceviche was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (pictured). The reporter of the "Global Times" recently tasted this delicacy in Lima, the capital of Peru, and it is indeed fresh to home, and the taste of "fish" is endless.
Lamar is one of Lima's Michelin-starred restaurants, located in the famous Miraflores district, and has earned a reputation for its Peruvian cuisine that preserves tradition while still innovating. This dish on the menu of Lamar's restaurant has a nice name - "Three Festivals", and it seems that ceviche is a common dish eaten by Peruvians.
When this dish was placed in front of me, I was immediately attracted by the fresh and tender large pieces of fish, and I couldn't wait to taste it. The smooth raw fish meat has just the right amount of sour and spicy flavor in the mouth, and it is mixed with the aroma of vegetables and South American spices. This immediately evoked memories of my taste buds, which seemed to have the "umami" of Japanese sashimi and the tropical flavor of the Amazon region.
Halfway through the meal, the chef of the restaurant, named Agario, appeared and asked the author with concern if he was satisfied, and the author took the opportunity to ask the chef for the secret recipe. Unexpectedly, the Peruvian celebrity chef did not hesitate to start sharing his experience.
Agario says it's "easy" to make Peru's national dish. First of all, you need to choose fresh fish, preferably marine fish, such as sea bass. Cut the fish into small pieces and place them in a bowl, add the lime juice and let the fish soak in the juice. The chef deliberately emphasized that when squeezing the cereal juice, it is enough to squeeze it once with moderate pressure with one hand, not too hard, otherwise the flesh or green skin will be squeezed into it, which will affect the taste. Next, add the chopped onion, peppers, and chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper and stir to combine. The key step is to refrigerate the blended fish in the refrigerator for about half an hour until the fish changes color slightly, remembering that there must be enough time for it to absorb the flavor. Agario laughs and says that the Peruvians call this mixture of fish, ceviche, peppers, onions and various seasonings "tiger milk", and he doesn't know the origin of the name. At this point, the ceviche is basically done. Finally, coriander can be added as a garnish. You can also top it with other side dishes or staples like corn, rice, or even potato chips on the side.
Agario proudly describes the ceviche dish as "paradise" on the plate. Although Agario has always said that this dish is not difficult to make, the author knows in his heart that it is not easy to achieve the original taste, because only authentic ingredients can make authentic tastes. Whether it is fresh sea fish or various ingredients, they are all taken from Peru, and the taste is different from other places.
From the chef's account, it is not difficult to see that the secret to the cooking of Peru's national dish is "tiger milk". The raw fish meat retains the "freshness" to the greatest extent, while the "tiger milk" harmonizes the "fishy" nature of the raw fish meat and enhances the taste. "Tiger milk" is ubiquitous in the Peruvian diet, with many local desserts and even cocktails in Peru. Sometimes, cream is added to the "tiger milk" to increase the taste.
Although ceviche is known as the national dish of Peru, it is actually very popular throughout Latin America, and each country has a slightly different approach. In Mexico and Ecuador, for example, people prefer to use fresh shrimp as a base ingredient, even squid or scallops. In Chile, toothfish from the Patagonian highlands are used as the main ingredient.
However, Peruvian ceviche is considered the most authentic, as the dish originated 2,000 years ago on the Pacific coast of Peru. At first, the Moche people who lived in the area marinated the fish with the juice of a local plant similar to passion fruit. Later this practice spread to the Incas who lived in the Andes. It wasn't until the Spanish settlers arrived on the South American continent that Mediterranean cereals were introduced to replace the local ingredients we see today.
How much do Peruvians really love their national dish?I love it so much that there is a festival dedicated to eating this dish. Every year on June 28, Peruvians celebrate the Day of Sevic. At this time, hotels and restaurants will have a special ceviche menu. Various street markets, celebrations, cooking competitions are in full swing. For tourists, this is the perfect time to savor this dish, to eat the different styles of ceviche at once, leaving the most delicious Peruvian on the palate. ▲