Name: Lima Family-Style Fish Ceviche
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 360 g camote sweet potato, peeled, in 3 cm chunks; 1200 ml water, for simmering the camote; drained after cooking; 240 g cooked choclo kernels, ready-to-eat, chilled; 600 g firm white fish fillet, skinless, pin-boned, suitable for raw service, cold; 150 ml fresh lime juice, strained, freshly squeezed; 160 g red onion, thinly sliced; 12 g ají limo, deseeded, finely chopped; 12 g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped; 3 g fine salt, weighed; 1 g black pepper, finely ground

Lima Family-Style Fish Ceviche with Sweet Potato and Corn

Yield 4 plated servings

Prep 22 minutes

Cook 18 minutes

Passive 0 minutes

Total 40 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Lima Family-Style Fish Ceviche with Sweet Potato and Corn

In Lima, fish ceviche centres on raw fish, a sharply seasoned lime dressing and the freshness of the accompanying produce. Family tables can change the fish, the amount of chilli or the garnish. This plate uses one firm white fish, a small amount of ají limo and cooked camote and choclo so that the flavour remains clearly identifiable.

The sweet potato is a deliberate counterpoint to the acidic dressing, while the large kernels of Peruvian choclo add substance without being mixed into the fish. Both are prepared first; they must be cool before they are put near the raw seafood. Ordinary sweetcorn is not described as the same ingredient as choclo.

The final seasoning is very short. Lime changes the appearance of fish proteins, but this chemical effect is not cooking in a food-safety sense. The practical control is the purchase and cold handling of fish intended for raw eating, combined with clean separate utensils and immediate service.

Ingredients

For the accompaniments

360 g camote sweet potato, peeled, in 3 cm chunks
1200 ml water, for simmering the camote; drained after cooking
240 g cooked choclo kernels, ready-to-eat, chilled

For the ceviche

600 g firm white fish fillet, skinless, pin-boned, suitable for raw service, cold
150 ml fresh lime juice, strained, freshly squeezed
160 g red onion, thinly sliced
12 g ají limo, deseeded, finely chopped
12 g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
3 g fine salt, weighed
1 g black pepper, finely ground

Method

Boil the camote.Put the 360 g sweet potato in a saucepan and cover with 1200 ml already-boiling water; simmer for 18 minutes, then drain and cool in a shallow container while the other ingredients are prepared. A knife enters the middle without resistance. Cool away from raw fish.
Set out the accompaniments.Measure the 240 g cooked choclo kernels and chill them with the cooked camote on a clean covered plate. The accompaniments are drained and no longer steaming.
Prepare the fresh seasoning.Slice the 160 g red onion finely; deseed and chop the 12 g ají limo, chop the 12 g coriander and squeeze and strain 150 ml lime juice. The onion is thin and the juice has no seeds or fragments of rind. Use a board kept separate from fish.
Cut and chill the fish.On a sanitised separate board, cut the 600 g cold fish into 2 cm cubes; place in a chilled nonreactive bowl and keep at 4 °C or colder until dressing. The cubes are firm, cleanly cut and still chilled. This fish will remain raw.
Dress and serve.Sprinkle the fish with 3 g salt and 1 g pepper, add the ají and 150 ml lime juice, then fold in the onion and coriander for 1 minute. Divide among four plates with camote and choclo and serve immediately. The pieces are evenly coated, with distinct firm edges rather than shredded flesh. Citrus does not make unsafe fish safe.

Practical

Practical guidance

Prepare the cooked accompaniments before handling the fish and chill them promptly. Keep the raw seafood separately refrigerated at 4 °C or colder until the final dressing. Mix and eat the ceviche immediately; do not prepare a large bowl hours ahead or depend on an overnight citrus soak. Do not store leftovers of the assembled raw-fish ceviche for another meal. A fully cooked fish alternative reaches 63 °C at its centre and is a different texture and presentation. For this version, the serving finish is lima family-style fish ceviche; keep every accompaniment separate until plating.

Troubleshooting

Fish turns soft or breaks apart: The fish was stirred too forcefully or sat in lime juice; cut firm cubes, fold briefly and serve at once. The dressing tastes bitter: Lime peel or pith was pressed too hard; squeeze the fruit lightly and strain the juice. The ceviche feels warm: Fish or garnishes were left on the bench; chill components separately to 4 °C or colder before mixing.

Nutrition per 1 of 4 plated portions

Serving size1 plate including sides
Calories275 kcal
Carbohydrate34 g
Protein32 g
Fat3 g
Fibre5 g
Sodium420 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains fish. Ceviche contains uncooked fish: citrus juice does not make raw seafood pathogen-free. Buy from a reputable supplier able to confirm appropriate handling for raw service and previously frozen fish for parasite control, keep it at 4 °C or colder, prevent cross-contact and eat immediately. Freezing does not eliminate every microbial risk. Pregnant people, young children, older adults and immunocompromised people should avoid the raw-fish dish; cooking fish to 63 °C is the safer option, but it produces a different dish. For this particular plate, prepare the accompanying ingredients completely before touching the raw fish: lima family-style fish ceviche.

Closing

Result: Serve the dressing and the sides in separate zones so the sweet potato does not soak up all the tart juice.
Key control: Keep suitable raw fish below 4 °C and serve as soon as dressed.