Mango Shrimp Ceviche with Fermented Lemon

It’s bright and fresh, full of zesty lime, fragrant fermented lemon, spicy fermented jalapeno, buttery avocado, herbaceous cilantro, and juicy mango. Enjoy this Mexican-inspired mango shrimp ceviche with potato chips and cold white wine for a perfect hot summer meal.

What is Ceviche?

Ceviche, also known as cebiche, seviche, or sebiche, is a seafood dish originally from South America, specifically the region that is now Peru. Ceviche is made from fresh raw fish or shellfish cured in fresh citrus juice.

The raw fresh seafood is diced and then marinated in lemon or lime juice. The raw fish reacts with the citrus juices and becomes opaque and firm while absorbing flavor. This acidic curing process essentially cooks the protein without any heat.

Does Lime Juice Cook Shrimp?

The simple answer is yes! Shrimp can be “cooked” using lime juice and no heat at all. The highly acidic lime juice, which contains citric acid, breaks down the shrimp’s proteins, similar to how heat breaks down the proteins when you cook it. During this acidic breakdown of proteins, the flesh of the shrimp turns an opaque pink. The sour lime juice is also potent enough to destroy any potentially harmful bacteria.

I suggest letting the shrimp cure in the lime juice for 2 hours in the fridge before mixing it with the other ceviche ingredients, but it depends on the shrimp you are using. Smaller shrimp cubed in small pieces may become tough if you leave them too long. I used giant, locally caught white gulf shrimp cut in large chunks, which took about two hours to cure.

If you want to make ceviche with fish, not shrimp, it is best to use sashimi-grade fish.

Cooking Shrimp in Lime Juice

You will cook the shrimp in lime juice and fermented lemons with the brine in this recipe. The fermented lemons add more acidity, some salt, and a beautiful bright citrus flavor. If you do not have any fermented lemon, leave it out and use extra lime juice or plain lemon juice.

It doesn’t take much fermented lemon to add a nice flavor, and you don’t want to overdo it. I used one small cured lemon and a teaspoon of thick salty brine.

Mexican Inspired Shrimp Ceviche Recipe

I was inspired by Mexican ceviche for this recipe, which usually includes avocado, jalapeno, and cilantro. I used my delicious fermented jalapenos, fresh avocado, and fresh cilantro from my garden.

How to Make Shrimp Ceviche

This shrimp ceviche comes together in two main steps. First, marinate the shrimp in the citrus juice and lemon; then, add all the other chopped ingredients. Here are the two fermented ingredients I used to make this recipe special; you can also use fermented onions instead of green onions:

• How to Make Moroccan Salt Preserved Lemons
• Pepper Fermentation Recipe: Learn How to Ferment Any Pepper
• Fermented Quick Pickled Red Onions

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