UNESCO designates Peruvian ceviche as an intangible cultural heritage

While ceviche is considered a national dish in many countries from Chile to Mexico, Peruvians call this famous concoction of raw fish marinated in lime juice the national dish of Peru. UNESCO recently added Peruvian ceviche and the culture surrounding it to its list of intangible cultural heritage.

UNESCO supports the preservation and protection of cultural traditions

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) annually nominates heritage elements to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of historical customs and keeping traditions alive.

The Intergovernmental Commission for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage added Peru’s ceviche culture to its list at its recent annual meeting. Previous UNESCO honors for food traditions have gone to, for example, Ukraine’s borscht cooking culture, France’s baguettes, Singapore’s street food and Turkey’s coffee tradition, Turkiye.

In awarding the honor to Peruvian ceviche, UNESCO recognized the role of this dish in Peru’s cultural identity, the importance of sustainable artisanal fishermen and traditional female ceviche cooks in cevicheria, the regional variations of the dish, and the ingredients used. and emphasized how technical knowledge is passed down. Through a family in Peru.

Peruvian ceviche culture

Ceviche (also spelled “ceviche” or “ceviche”) is so beloved in Peru that it is celebrated in the South American country on June 28 every year as Dia del Ceviche. Ceviche is eaten daily throughout Peru, in coastal cities such as Lima, in the Amazon jungle, and in the Andean highlands near the country’s most famous tourist destination, Machu Picchu.

The word is also related to the Spanish words “cebo” and “escabeche” (words for fish or pickles), but historians say that “ceviche” is a Quechua word meaning fresh or tender fish. It is said to have originated from “Siwichi”. Although Quechua-speaking indigenous peoples now live throughout South America, the language is thought to have first developed in pre-Incan Peru.

National Geographic explains that ceviche probably originated 3,000 years ago on the north coast of present-day Peru, near a town called Huanchaco. The original recipe of the pre-Incan Moche people was probably quite different from what it is today. Limes, the main ingredient in ceviche, first arrived in South America about 500 years ago, brought from Asia by the Spanish and Portuguese. Due to the lack of lime, there is debate as to whether the fish in the original dish was combined with seaweed and chili peppers or with passion fruit-like tambo juice. The first published ceviche recipe may be from Lima author Manuel Attanasio Fuentes in 1866.

The heavy influence of Japan on Peruvian cuisine, beginning in the late 19th century, led to ceviche’s modern form. Japanese immigrants to Peru valued extremely fresh raw fish, and instead of the traditional method of marinating fish in lime juice and leaving it to pickle on the same day, they began cooking fish soaked in lime juice. I wanted to eat it right away while it was still soft.

Today, traditional Peruvian ceviche is cubes of raw fish or seafood gently tossed with coarse salt, red onions, chili peppers, and lime juice, and is meant to be eaten within 15 minutes of preparation. Regardless of whether the dish is made with fish caught in Peru’s seas or rivers, the resulting marinade is called leche de tigre (tiger’s milk) . Ceviche connoisseurs are likely to gulp down the opaque pale juice after eating all the other ingredients in the dish, enjoying its sour and spicy taste. Ceviche is traditionally served with canchita (crunchy grains of one of Peru’s many corn varieties) and sweet potato slices.

Where to eat sustainable ceviche in Lima

There are many great ceviche restaurants in Lima, but if you want to make sure you’re eating ceviche with sustainably caught fish, order Peru’s national dish at Iberostar Selection Miraflores. This 214-room eco-hotel is located in Lima’s most popular Miraflores district, just two blocks from the city’s famous Malecon promenade on the Pacific Ocean.

All seafood at Iberostar Selection Miraflores’ three restaurants is responsibly sourced. That promise extends across the Iberostar brand. Through Iberostar’s “Wave of Change” program, the company has committed to sourcing 100% of its seafood from responsible sources by 2025. Other Iberostar commitments include becoming waste-free by 2025 and carbon neutral by 2030. Iberostar has discontinued singles. – In 2020, Iberostar Selection Miraflores became the first hotel in Lima to achieve that status.

Iberostar Selection There are several options for ceviche in Miraflores. Ortega & Huaman, a Mediterranean-Peruvian restaurant on the main floor, serves ceviche Huaman, a traditional dish made with sweet potatoes, corn, and red onions caught that day. At the hotel’s outdoor rooftop bar, 27 Tapas, try Ceviche 27 (made with the catch of the day, smoked almonds, apples, and yellow chili peppers) or Caper Ceviche (with avocado, corn fritters, and catch of the day) please. Leche de Tigre with capers added). The new Kimo restaurant at Iberostar Selection Miraflores focuses on traditional Japanese cuisine, but also serves a sustainable ceviche called Ceviche Kimo. All of Kimo’s menus are enjoyed overlooking the Pacific Ocean from the large windows on his 17th floor of the restaurant.

See more ceviche restaurants in Lima

If you want to try other ceviche dishes in Lima, try Restaurante Contraste Lima near John F. Kennedy Park in Maraflores.

If you want ceviche with the best view in Lima, head to Restaurant Huaca Pucllana. Its terraces are located right next to the ruins of his 1,500-year-old pre-Inca step pyramid in Miraflores. Or try Cala, the seaside area of ​​Barranco. You can see and hear the waves of the Pacific Ocean while dining on the ocean-facing patio. You might even see sustainable fishing boats coming and going.