Ceviche

The first documented evidence of the term ceviche is from 1820, in the song "La Chicha", sung by Peruvian soldiers.

According to the Royal Spanish Academy, the word has the same etymology as the Spanish term escabeche, which derives from Mozarabic izkebêch, in turn descending from Andalusian Arabic assukkabáǧ, which also derives from Classical Arabic sakbāj (سكباج, meaning meat cooked in vinegar).[12][13] It is ultimately from the unattested Middle Persian *sikbāg, from sik ("vinegar")[14] and *bāg ("soup"), which also yielded the Persian word sekbā (سکبا, a soup made with meat and vinegar).[15] Other hypotheses include that it derives from the Quechua word siwichi, meaning fresh fish.[6]

The name of the dish is spelled variously as cebiche, ceviche, seviche, or sebiche, but the most common spelling is ceviche with v, which is an alternative spelling accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy.[3][4] There are also other local variants of the name, including cerbiche and serviche.[9]

Various explanations of ceviche's origin exist, with Peruvian nationalists favoring a Pre-Hispanic origin. According to some historic sources from Peru, the predecessor of ceviche originated among the Moche, a coastal civilization that began to flourish in the area of current-day northern Peru and southern Ecuador nearly 2000 years ago.[7][16] In El Salvador, ceviche is a second favorite dish. This tropical country provides a variety of ceviche choices such as shrimp, fish, octopus and black clam ceviche. The recipe is very simple and includes Roma tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. The Moche apparently used the fermented juice from the local banana passionfruit.[7] Recent investigations further show that during the Inca Empire, fish was marinated with chicha, an Andean fermented beverage. Different chronicles also report that along the Peruvian coast prior to the arrival of Spaniards, fish was consumed with salt and ají.[16]

Nevertheless, most historians agree that ceviche originated during colonial times in present-day Peru and Ecuador.[17][18] They propose that the predecessor to the dish was brought to the area by Andalusian women of Moorish background who accompanied the Conquistadors and that this dish eventually evolved into what nowadays is considered ceviche.[18][19] The Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio further explains that the dominant position that Lima held throughout four centuries as the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru allowed for popular dishes such as ceviche to be brought to other Spanish colonies in the region and to eventually become a part of local cuisine by incorporating regional flavors and styles.[11]

The Peruvian origin of the dish is supported by chefs including the Chilean Christopher Carpentier and the Spaniard Ferran Adrià, who in an interview stated, "Cebiche was born in Peru, and so the authentic and genuine [cebiche] is Peruvian."[20][21]

The different stories that exist about the origin of the ceviche, we only know that it is Peru and Ecuador the two countries that dispute this denomination, perhaps because they were the ones that were influenced by the Incas; however, the first recipe of this dish deserves to Manual Atanasio Fuentes in “The Guide of Lima”. [22]

Ceviche is marinated in a citrus-based mixture, with lemons and limes being the most commonly used. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to become denatured, appearing to be cooked. Acid marinades will not kill bacteria or parasitic worms, unlike the heat of cooking. Traditional-style ceviche was marinated for about three hours. Modern-style ceviche, popularized in the 1970s, usually has a very short marinating period. With the appropriate fish, it can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the ceviche to the table.[23]

Most Latin American countries have given ceviche its own touch of individuality by adding their own particular garnishes.

• 
  Peruvian ceviche
• 
  Ecuadorian ceviche, made of shrimp, lemon and tomato sauce
• 
  Mexican ceviche
• 
  Ceviche from Costa Rica

North and Central America and the Caribbean

"Alaskan" ceviche made with Pacific halibut, serrano peppers, cilantro and tomato

In Mexico, the U.S., and some parts of Central America, it is served either in cocktail cups with tostadas, or as a tostada topping and taco filling. In Mexico, when served in a cup with tomato sauce, it is called a ceviche cocktail. Shrimp, octopus, squid, tuna, and mackerel are also popular bases for Mexican ceviche. The marinade ingredients include salt, lime, onion, chili peppers, avocado, and cilantro (coriander). Cut olives and tomatoes are often added to the preparation.

In El Salvador and Nicaragua one popular ceviche recipe is ceviche de concha negra ("black conch ceviche"), known in Mexico as pata de mula ("mule's foot"). It is dark, nearly black, with a distinct look and flavor. It is prepared with lime juice, onion, yerba buena, salt, pepper, tomato, Worcestershire sauce, and sometimes picante (any kind of hot sauce or any kind of hot pepper) as desired.

In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the dish includes marinated fish, lime juice, salt, ground black pepper, finely minced onions, cilantro, and finely minced peppers. It is usually served in a cocktail glass with a lettuce leaf and soda crackers on the side, as in Mexico. Popular condiments are tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, and Tabasco sauce. The fish is typically tilapia or corvina, although mahi-mahi, shark and marlin are also popular.

In Panama, ceviche is prepared with lemon juice, chopped onion, celery, cilantro, assorted peppers, and sea salt. Ceviche made with corvina (white sea bass) is very popular and is served as an appetizer in most local restaurants. It is also commonly prepared with octopus, shrimp, and squid, or served with small pastry shells called "canastitas."

In the Caribbean, ceviche is often made using mahi-mahi prepared with lime juice, salt, onion, green pepper, habanero, and a touch of allspice. Squid and tuna are also popular. In Puerto Rico and other places in the Caribbean, the dish is prepared with coconut milk. In the Bahamas and south Florida, a conch ceviche known as conch salad is very popular. It is prepared by marinating diced fresh conch in lime with chopped onions, and bell pepper. Diced pequin pepper or Scotch bonnet pepper is often added for spice. In south Florida, it is common to encounter a variation to which tomato juice has been added.

Bad sanitary conditions in its preparation may lead to illness. Aside from contaminants, raw seafood can also be the vector for various pathogens, viral and bacterial, as well as larger parasitic creatures.[30][31] According to the United States Food and Drug Administration and studies since 2009, specific microbial hazards in ceviche include Anisakis simplex, Diphyllobothrium spp., Pseudoterranova decipiens and Pseudoterranova cattani, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.[32][33] Anisakiasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of larval nematodes in raw seafood dishes such as ceviche.[34][35] The Latin American cholera outbreaks in the 1990s may have been attributed to the consumption of raw cholera-infested seafood that was eaten as ceviche.[36]

The American Dietetic Association urges women to avoid ceviche during pregnancy due to the health risks it introduces if not prepared properly.[37]

• Boquerones en vinagre – Anchovy tapa appetizer marinated in vinegar, garlic and parsley eaten in Spain
• Escabeche – Ibero-American fish or meat dish, cooked or raw fish or meats in an acidic marinade
• Kinilaw – Filipino seafood dish, sometimes referred to as "Philippine ceviche"
• List of raw fish dishes
• List of fish dishes

• Bayless, Rick (2000). Mexico One Plate at aTime. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-84186-X.
• Butler, Cleora (2003). Cleora's Kitchens: The Memoir of a Cook and Eight Decades of Great American Food. Council Oak Books, LLC. ISBN 1-57178-133-1.
• "Revolución de los gustos en el Perú". Américas. General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. June 2006. ISBN 9780071596602.
• González, Marjorie Ross; Ross, Marjorie (2001). Entre el comal y la olla: fundamentos de gastronomía costarricense. Euned. ISBN 9789968311281.
• Harris, Jessica B. (2003). Beyond gumbo: Creole fusion food from the Atlantic Rim. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-87062-2.
• Meyer, Arthur L.; Vann, Jon M. (2003). The Appetizer Atlas: A World of Small Bites. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0-471-41102-7.
• Peschiera, Emilio (2005). Cocina Peruana. Ediciones Granica S.A. ISBN 956-8077-30-8.
• Presilla, Maricel (2012). Gran Cocina Latina. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 479. ISBN 978-0-393-05069-1.
• Rodriguez, Douglas (2010-06-08). The Great Ceviche Book. Ten Speed Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-58008-107-8.