Name: Ceviche — Peruvian fish with lime and ají
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 600 g boneless firm white fish suitable for raw service, skin removed, pin bones checked, chilled; 150 ml fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, seeds removed; 120 g red onion, very thinly sliced; 12 g ají limo, finely chopped, stem and seeds removed; 12 g coriander leaves, chopped; 5 g fine salt, measured; 400 g camote (sweet potato), peeled, cut into even 3-cm pieces; 240 g cooked choclo kernels, from large-kernel Peruvian corn; chilled after cooking; 40 g lettuce leaves, washed and drained; 1100 ml water for simmering camote, measured, discarded after boiling

Ceviche with white fish, ají limo, lime, camote and choclo

Yield 4 portions

Prep 25 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Passive 15 minutes

Total 70 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Ceviche with white fish, ají limo, lime, camote and choclo

Peruvian ceviche joins cut raw fish, citrus, chilli and salt, with each coastal and inland community bringing its own accompaniments and preparation customs. This plate uses a familiar fish-centred combination: cleanly cut white fish, feather-thin red onion, chopped ají limo, lime juice and coriander. The cooked sweet potato and choclo soften the sharpness of the dressing without turning it into a cooked fish dish.

The word marinated is useful for flavour but potentially misleading for safety. Lime juice firms and whitens the surface of the fish, yet that chemical change is not equivalent to heat and does not reliably eliminate parasites or dangerous bacteria. Buy fish specifically assessed for raw consumption from a reputable supplier with appropriate parasite-control handling; keep it cold and use a dedicated clean board. Even with careful purchasing, raw seafood carries some risk.

Make the sweet potato and choclo before the fish comes out of refrigeration. A sharp knife and brief final mixing are more valuable than a long soak: the fish remains distinct, the onion crisp and the lime dressing lively. Serve the fish as soon as the ingredients are combined, rather than allowing it to warm on a crowded table. The portion described here is a chilled starter or light lunch, not a preserved preparation.

Ingredients

Fish and dressing

600 g boneless firm white fish suitable for raw service, skin removed, pin bones checked, chilled
150 ml fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, seeds removed
120 g red onion, very thinly sliced
12 g ají limo, finely chopped, stem and seeds removed
12 g coriander leaves, chopped
5 g fine salt, measured

Accompaniments

400 g camote (sweet potato), peeled, cut into even 3-cm pieces
240 g cooked choclo kernels, from large-kernel Peruvian corn; chilled after cooking
40 g lettuce leaves, washed and drained
1100 ml water for simmering camote, measured, discarded after boiling

Method

Cook the sweet potato.Put the 400 g camote pieces in a saucepan, add all 1100 ml potable water and simmer gently for about 25 minutes. Drain with a clean colander. A skewer should enter the centre without resistance.
Chill the cooked accompaniments.Spread the drained camote and 240 g already-cooked choclo in shallow clean containers and refrigerate for 15 minutes, until cold enough for plating. Keep the lettuce separately chilled. The camote and choclo should feel cool rather than steaming. Keep cooked sides separate from raw-fish equipment and at 4 °C or below.
Prepare the onion and chilli.Using a clean vegetable board, slice the 120 g red onion into narrow feathers and finely chop the 12 g ají limo and 12 g coriander. Drain any rinsing water from the onion thoroughly. The onion should be slender, crisp and free of excess water.
Cut the fish while cold.On a newly cleaned and sanitized fish board, cut the 600 g cold boneless fish into approximately 2-cm cubes; return it to a clean chilled bowl back in the fridge immediately. Pieces should have neat edges and stay firm as you lift them. The fish remains raw; do not leave it on the counter.
Season and dress.Combine the cold fish with the 5 g salt, 12 g chopped ají limo and 150 ml lime juice in a chilled non-reactive bowl. Fold gently for about 1 minute, then add the prepared red onion and coriander. The dressing should lightly coat separate fish cubes rather than forming a mashed mixture. Citrus does not make raw fish microbiologically safe.
Serve promptly.Divide the 40 g lettuce among four plates; add the ceviche and its lime dressing, then arrange the chilled camote and choclo beside it. Carry the plates directly to the table. Every plate should have distinct fish, onion, corn and sweet potato rather than a pooled salad. Serve immediately; do not hold at room temperature.

Practical

Practical guidance

Arrange all four plates and the cooked sides before combining fish with lime. Keep fish refrigerated at 4 °C or below until the last possible moment, and chill serving dishes if the kitchen is warm. Sweet potato is best tender but intact; wet onion dilutes the citrus, so drain it well. Leftover dressed raw fish is not suitable for storage as a ready-to-eat meal; make only what will be served promptly. If properly handled cooked sides remain, refrigerate them promptly in clean separate containers and use within 3–4 days. An alternative is to cook the fish thoroughly to 63 °C, but that produces a different cooked-fish plate, not ceviche in this form.

Control points

Texture and handlingIf the dressing seems watery, the onion was not drained or the fish warmed; start with dry cold ingredients and mix only just before serving.
Finish and recoveryFish that feels soft or smells sour or ammonia-like may be spoiled; discard it rather than masking the problem with citrus.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 of 4 starter portions
Calories305 kcal
Carbohydrate39.4 g
Protein32.9 g
Fat2.8 g
Fibre5.2 g
Sodium660 mg

Allergens and food safety

Fish is the principal allergen. Avoid cross-contact with raw fish on produce boards and utensils. Raw fish may carry parasites or pathogens despite freezing or citrus. Pregnant people, young children, older adults and immunocompromised people should avoid this raw preparation. Maintain 4 °C or below until service; do not use lime as a safety kill step.

Closing

On the plate: Peruvian ceviche of raw cubed white fish dressed with lime, ají limo and red onion; served with camote and choclo.
Control that matters: A specific fish ceviche, not a claim to represent all of Peru’s regional ceviche traditions.