Ceviche is the unheated cooking of raw fish or shellfish in a lime or lemon based marinade. Ceviche is very popular all across Central and South America and comes in all sorts of different recipes. My personal favorite is Peruvian ceviche.
Some of the healthiest diets of traditional cultures across the world included some form of raw animal or fish protein (ex. carpaccio in Italy, kibbeh in the middle east and sashimi in Japan.) Raw animal or fish protein delivers nutrients that have not been destroyed by the heating process in cooking. One volatile and heat sensitive vitamin for example is vitamin B6, an important vitamin with regards to its influence on protein metabolism, the nervous system and the immune system. Up to 40% of B6 is destroyed in the cooking process of animal or fish protein.
Tip: Do not dispose of the the leftover Ceviche marinade, it's delicious, healthy and said to be a great hangover cure!
Recipe:
- 6 ounces wild caught cod
- 1/2 cup roma tomatoes (diced)
- 2 tbsp purple onion (diced)
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup cucumber (chopped)
- optional: 1/2 red chili pepper sliced (chili peppers can vary in intensity, I added 2 in this recipe)
Marinade:
- 5-6 limes (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2-1 tsp salt
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup yellow onion
- 1/3 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp roma tomato
Slice cod into very thin slices. Add to bowl and pour in marinade. Leave marinating fish in refrigerator. Prep and add veggies. Marinate for 1-3 hours. Enjoy on lettuce wraps or baked plantain chips!