Ceviche Clásico with Leche de Tigre (Peruvian Citrus-Cured Sea Bass)

Citrus-cured sea bass, Peruvian style, in a bright, ice-cold leche de tigre — this is Ceviche Clásico the way it’s served on the coast: raw fish kissed just to the edge of opaque by fresh lime, never truly cooked, always ‘al momento’.

It’s one of the 20 recipes inside our Peruvian Cookbook, and we’re sharing this Ceviche Clásico with Leche de Tigre in full so you can taste the standard before you buy the book. There’s no oven and no waiting — just cold, sharp, precise work that comes together in minutes.

Why this recipe works

The leche de tigre is blended for only 8 seconds and strained, so it stays clean and pourable instead of turning bitter from over-processed cilantro; then the sea bass cures for barely 60–90 seconds until the edges go opaque. That short window is the whole trick — the acid firms the fish without chalking it, and the tiger’s milk keeps its bright, savoury bite.

Ingredients

Ceviche

• 400g sea bass fillet, skinless, 1.5cm cubes
• 120ml fresh lime juice (about 8 limes)
• ½ red onion, shaved paper-thin
• 1 aji limo chili, seeded and minced

Leche de Tigre

• 2 tbsp cold fish stock
• 2 cm ginger, grated
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 4 cilantro stems, finely chopped

Optional garnish

• Cancha (toasted corn) and boiled sweet potato slices

Serves 2 · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min · 310 kcal per serving

Instructions

1. Build the tiger’s milk. Blend lime juice, fish stock, ginger, garlic, cilantro stems and a pinch of salt for 8 seconds, then strain through a fine sieve. Keep ice-cold.
2. Soak the onion. Rinse the shaved onion under cold water for 1 minute to remove bite, then drain fully and chill. This keeps the crunch without the sulfur burn.
3. Cure the fish. Toss the sea bass with ½ tsp fine salt, pour over the leche de tigre and minced aji limo, and stir gently for 60–90 seconds until the cubes turn opaque at the edges.
4. Plate and serve. Fold in the drained onion and a few cilantro leaves. Spoon into chilled bowls with the marinade, and serve immediately with cancha and sweet potato.

Chef’s tip

Cure no longer than 2 minutes — Peruvian ceviche is served ‘al momento’, not fully cooked. Over-curing turns the fish chalky and kills the leche de tigre.

Get the full Peruvian Cookbook

Loved this one? It’s a single recipe from a 20-strong collection of Peruvian classics built the same way — clear ingredients, exact timings, no guesswork. Grab the full Peruvian Cookbook below.