Ceviche with Chifle Plantain Chips

Ceviche with Chifle Plantain Chips (Peru)

Adapted from MAD LOVE by Devan Rajkumar

A refreshing, citrusy seafood dish made with tender fish, scallops, and shrimp cured in zesty lime-based leche de tigre. Served with sweet potato, avocado, and crispy fried plantain chips, it delivers bright, tangy, and crunchy textures in every bite—a true Peruvian street food classic.

Ingredients:

For the Leche De Tigre:

• 1 tbsp (14.8ml) aji Amarillo paste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) chopped ginger
• ½ stalk celery
• 1/8 red onion
• 1 ½ (360ml) cups fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp (29.6ml) evaporated milk
• 1 ½ tsp (7.4ml) salt, plus extra to taste
• 2 oz best-quality white fish
• 2 sprigs cilantro, chopped

For the Ceviche:

• 1 cup (240ml) peeled and cubed sweet potato, in ½ inch cubes
• 8 oz best-quality white fish, diced
• 4 oz best-quality bay scallops, chopped
• 4 oz best-quality raw small shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
• 1 ½ tsp (7.4ml) salt, plus extra to taste
• ½ tsp (2.5ml) pepper
• ¼ large red onion, thinly sliced and rinsed under cold water (to remove pungency), for garnish
• 1 small avocado, peeled and diced, for garnish
• Cancha (Peruvian corn nuts), for garnish

For the Plantain Chips:

• 1 green plantain
• Neutral oil for frying such as vegetable or canola oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

Make the Leche De Tigre:

In a blender, combine all ingredients, except cilantro, and blend. Add cilantro and pulse several times. Season to taste with salt.

Make the Ceviche:

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add sweet potato and boil for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine fish, scallops, shrimp, salt and pepper. Toss to mix. Pour in 1 cup leche de tigre and 2 ice cubes and mix well. Season to taste with salt and set aside for 5 minutes, until the exterior of the chopped fish is opaque.

To plate, spoon ceviche into a bowl. Garnish with sweet potato, red onion, avocado and cancha.

Make the Plantain Chips:

Slice the ends off the green plantain and slice lengthwise down the middle to help remove the green peel. Thinly slice the plantain lengthwise on a mandolin.

Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat to 350 F (175 C). Working in batches, carefully add the plantain slices to the oil and fry until they have turned dark golden in color, about 4 minutes.

Transfer the plantain chips to a paper towel lined baking sheet and season with salt.

Serve ceviche with plantain chips for scooping up the fish.