Pacific-coast ceviche of fresh fish cured in lime and coconut milk, with tomato, onion and cilantro. Distinct from Peruvian ceviche by the addition of coconut milk.
Cevichó (or ceviche de coco) is a specialty of Colombia's Pacific coast, particularly Buenaventura and Tumaco, where African-descended communities adapted the Latin American ceviche tradition using coconut milk, the defining ingredient of Pacific coastal cooking. Fresh white fish or shrimp is cured in lime juice, then mixed with coconut milk, diced tomato, red onion, coriander and a touch of hot chili. The coconut milk gives the ceviche a creamy, rich quality distinct from the sharper Peruvian version. Eaten cold with plantain chips (patacones) or saltine crackers, cevichó is the appetizer of the Pacific coast, served at beachside restaurants and family gatherings.
Creamy, tangy and cool, the fish firm and cured, the coconut milk rounding the lime's acidity, the onion sharp, the coriander bright. Eaten with crisp plantain chips, the textural contrast of soft fish and crunchy chips is the pleasure.
The technique is curing in lime juice followed by mixing with coconut milk. Fresh fish (sea bass, snapper or tilapia) is cut into small cubes and covered with fresh lime juice for 30 to 60 minutes, the acid denaturing the proteins and 'cooking' the fish. The cured fish is drained of excess lime juice, then mixed with fresh coconut milk, diced tomato, thinly sliced red onion, chopped coriander, salt and a pinch of chili. The coconut milk must be fresh (not canned) for the best flavour. The dish is chilled and served within a few hours.
Variations
Some use shrimp instead of fish. A version with tomato sauce is more common in Buenaventura.
On the Palate
Where Cevichó Fish Ceviche sits in the Colombian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
4 steps · 20 min
- 15 min
Cut 400g fresh fish into 1cm cubes; cover with juice of 8 limes; rest 30 to 60 minutes.
Watch outThe fish is 'cooked' when the cubes turn opaque white all the way through, about 30–60 minutes — leave it too long in lime and it goes chalky and tough.
- 25 min
Drain the lime juice; add 200ml fresh coconut milk.
Watch outDrain off the spent lime before adding coconut milk — leave it in and the acid keeps working and the ceviche turns mushy and sour.
- 35 min
Add 1 diced tomato, 1/2 thinly sliced red onion, chopped coriander, salt and a pinch of chili.
- 43 min
Chill 30 minutes; serve with plantain chips.
