Main dishes · Peruvian/Ecuadorian

Ceviche de Camarones

Unlike fish ceviche, shrimp ceviche begins with a brief poach — the gentle heat setting the protein just enough to give the shrimp their characteristic snap before the lime and ají amarillo take over and brighten every edge. The leche de tigre that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl is so vibrantly good it is traditionally drunk straight from the glass.

◷ 60 minutes♧ 4 servingsSave as cookbook PDF ↓

Ingredients

For 4 servings · tick what is ready

Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.

100 parts Large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined40 parts Fresh lime juice5 parts Ají amarillo paste15 parts Red onion, very thinly sliced4 parts Fresh cilantro, roughly torn1 parts Fresh ginger, grated1 parts Garlic, minced1.5 parts Fine sea salt20 parts Choclo (large-kernel Andean corn), boiled

LET’S COOK

How to make it

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Remove from heat completely and wait 2 minutes — the water should be around 80 C (176 F), no longer boiling. Drop the shrimp in. Stir once. Leave undisturbed for exactly 90 seconds, then immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. The shrimp should be just barely opaque in the very center — they will continue to firm as they cool. A shrimp that is fully pink and curled tight is already overcooked.

Slice red onion paper-thin on a mandoline or by hand. Place in a bowl, toss with a generous pinch of salt, and rub between the palms for 30 seconds. Cover with cold water and soak for 10 minutes — this removes the harsh sulfur compounds that make raw onion sharp without destroying their crunch and color. Drain and squeeze dry in a clean cloth.

Combine the cooled shrimp, macerated onion, lime juice, ají amarillo paste, grated ginger, garlic, and cilantro in a cold bowl. Toss gently to combine. Season with salt. Marinate for 15–20 minutes in the refrigerator — enough time for the leche de tigre (tiger's milk — the curing liquid) to develop body and for the lime to finish the surface of the shrimp. Serve immediately after marination in chilled bowls, with choclo corn on the side for textural contrast.

About this recipe

By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.