If you’re looking for an easy, healthy meal to have at your table in minutes, then seafood ceviche is the perfect solution. Prepare this famous Peruvian dish in no time, and everybody that tries it will be astounded with your ceviche cooking.
You don’t know any ceviche recipes, and you’ve never made a raw fish dish? No worries. You’re in the right place if you want to learn. We’ll tell you all about it, including what’s the best fish for ceviche and some more helpful shrimp ceviche tips.
Read on, and see what makes this meal so flavorful and how to make it for yourself.
What Is Ceviche?
Most people have heard about it, but if you’ve never tried it, you probably don’t know what seafood ceviche is. Well, it’s a Peruvian meal, most often served at parties. It’s perfect as an appetizer or a brunch meal on a warm day when you’re looking for something light.
Most of the time, it’s prepared with raw ingredients. And even though it’s not technically a fish, most people consider shrimp the best fish for ceviche cooking. Aside from the protein, seafood ceviche recipes usually also include tomatoes, onions, peppers, and of course, citrus juice. Lemon, lime, or orange juice is the key ingredient of any shrimp ceviche recipe.
Is Ceviche Only a Raw Fish Dish?
Since it’s often served as an appetizer, ceviche is supposed to be a light meal. Because of this, people often believe that it should only be prepared as a raw fish dish. Though this often is the case, there are ceviche recipes with cooked fish out there.
If you go for the raw version, the only preparation of the fish or shrimp will be the marinade it goes in. The tossing of the fish in the lemon or lime juice will allow it to become more firm and absorb flavor simultaneously. That will be enough for most people, but if you plan on serving your ceviche cooking to pregnant women, kids, or somebody with a weaker immune system, the safest option is to cook the shrimp in boiling water first.
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche?
Shrimp ceviche is the perfect beginner meal for cooks that don’t have much experience. In 6 easy steps, your meal will be ready. Follow our guide and enjoy your seafood delicacy.
- Get two bowls of water. One of them should be ice cold, and the other one you should bring to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add shrimp to the pot. Leave the shrimp in the water until they become pink. This usually takes only about a minute.
- Drain the shrimp and put them in the cool water container for a while. Once they’re cold enough to operate with, chop them into small pieces.
- Put all of your ceviche ingredients (except avocado and cucumbers) in one bowl and toss.
- Let the ceviche marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients only when it’s time to serve the meal.
Extra Tips for Preparing Shrimp Ceviche
- Plan ahead because letting the meal marinade is crucial to the flavor.
- Add the avocado and the cucumber only when it’s time to serve the meal. If you do it initially, the avocado might turn brown, and the cucumbers will lose their crispy texture.
- Use smaller shrimp, or chop them into smaller pieces.
- Add jalapenos or hot sauce for guests that prefer a little spice in their meal.
Or, if you are in Miami and want to try shrimp ceviche made by the best chefs in the area, head on to Rakija Grill. We’ll be more than happy to prepare and serve it for you!
