The history behind ceviche is as ancient as it is interesting! It seems to originate from a fascinating encounter between indigenous and Moorish traditions. According to Vega, in pre-Columbian times, coastal inhabitants enjoyed raw fish seasoned with chili.
Later, thanks to the influence of the "white slaves," Moorish women who were sometimes concubines of Spaniards, the tart touch of lemons or oranges was incorporated. The word "sibech" in the Western Mediterranean Arabic means sour food, and "seviche" shares roots with "escabeche," a term also introduced by these women!
The mystery of ceviche
From a cultural identity perspective, ceviche is a preparation that stands out for creating distinctions. This peculiarity is intertwined with historical tensions that affected certain cultural regions and manifests in the semantics of this dish. A revealing example is the story of Eloisa Leyton:
"For me, the typical food of Arica is spicy dishes served with rice, but ceviche is a must. My grandmother, born in Tacna when it was part of Chile, prepared ceviche in the Peruvian style. However, upon arriving in Arica, she maintained her Peruvian customs.
She used fishes like mona, corvina, or sole, but now we prefer reineta or sole. In Tacna, authentic ceviches are found in Chilean restaurants, since in Peruvian ones, any kind of fish might be served. The onion is purple and sliced into strips, and the spicy touch comes from locoto. We don’t like to serve it with sweet potato."
How to speak about cuisine
Culinary language is a powerful tool for building identities. In Eloisa’s story, differences between nations are played out within a shared cultural history.
Ceviche speaks to us through various characteristics. From the choice of fish and type of onion to presentation and flavors, each detail reflects a culinary identity.
The differences between Chilean and Peruvian ceviche are expressed in terms of color, shape, texture, and flavor.
Historically, ceviche was prepared with bonito or tuna, but over time, new ingredients and techniques have been incorporated. Currently, reineta is the most commonly used fish, combined with surubí or banded hake to achieve a homogeneous flavor.
Ceviche, whether as a marker of local or national identities, creates a language in which each style seeks to differentiate itself.
Every small variation becomes a key to culinary identities, creating a dialogue between the local and the national, the traditional and the innovative. In short, ceviche is much more than a dish; it’s a story of intertwined flavors, identities, and traditions.
