My thoughts concerning Peruvian food prior to my time in Cusco were very mislead. Because one of the official languages of Peru is Spanish, I figured the cuisine would be similar to Mexican food. Burritos, tacos, and quesadillas were the first items that came to mind. If you had to guess what Peruvian cuisine is like, would you think the same?
My perceptions were completely incorrect. In fact, I have only encountered one Mexican restaurant since my arrival four weeks ago! Peruvian gastronomy has a plethora of influences (none of which include Mexican style cooking). Cuisines from Africa, Morocco, China, Europe, and Japan come together to create the unique food served here in Peru. Every meal is packed with bold taste and a variety of spices and ingredients. Some dishes feature rice or noodles while others utilize chicken or raw fish. Though these ingredients are vastly different, their finished products have one thing in common: incredible flavor.
A special cuisine near and dear to the heart of Peru is a seafood dish called ceviche (pronounced seh-vi-chay). It is almost a sin to visit Peru and not try it. When I asked my host family and teacher about the food I should try during my stay in Cusco, both responded very quickly, “ceviche!” The dish is very easy to find in restaurants; however, seafood restaurants make it best.
During the weekly cooking class last Friday, Ceviche was featured. Surprisingly, the professional chef leading the class was my host dad, Yuri! I watched him prepare the entire dish, made my own version, and then taste-tested my creation. Not only was this class interesting, but also it allowed me to ask questions and engage in discussion about the ingredients, preparation, and presentation of the meal.
The most important thing when cooking ceviche is choosing a fresh fish. There are many variations of the dish, but most use a type of white fish called corvina.
Because Cusco is not on the coast, the best place to buy the corvina is in the fresh section of the market. After choosing the perfect fish, it is then cut into bite size chunks. Contrary to popular belief, one cannot just cut in any which way, he must cut along the nerves of the fish. Cutting in this way will allow the meat to soak up the most flavor when the juices and spices are added. Furthermore, the cutting process is important for the removal of any lingering bones.
Next come the remaining ingredients: tiger milk, onion, red chili pepper, salt, lemon, and cilantro. Tiger milk is a combination of celery, lime, milk, and fish broth. Though it sounds less than appetizing, tiger milk gives the fish a great flavor and is a key ingredient to traditional Peruvian ceviche.
Peruvian lemons (on the left) are not like any in the United States. In Peru, lemons are small and green; much like a U.S. lime, but even smaller. The size is slightly bigger than a cherry tomato.
All these ingredients are mixed in a bowl and stirred around with the corvina for about 5 minutes. During this time, a reaction takes place between the lemon juice and salt to cook the fish and produce a shiny hue, “Like a diamond”, Yuri told the class. This hue is one key way to differentiate good preparation from bad preparation and is the primary indicator that the fish is ready to serve.
Traditionally, ceviche is served with sweet potato and choclo (a special kind of corn native to Peru). The sweet potato contrasts the spice from the chili pepper to give a mild overall flavor while the choclo adds extra texture and sweetness. The choclo can also be eaten by itself; it tastes just as yummy!
The ceviche cooking class was an excellent way to learn about traditional Peruvian ingredients and cuisine. Cooking with friends made for a fun experience and I cannot wait to participate again. Next week’s featured dish: rocoto relleno!