Peruvian Tiradito: Chilled Sea Bass in Aji Amarillo Lime Leche de Tigre

Chill four serving plates in the freezer for 15 minutes so the fish stays cold from first slice to last bite.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb sushi-grade sea bass or flounder, very fresh
• 8 limes, juiced (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup ice-cold water
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• Salt, to taste
• 1 red onion, shaved paper-thin
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon toasted corn (cancha), for garnish
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Instructions

1. Chill four serving plates in the freezer for 15 minutes so the fish stays cold from first slice to last bite.
2. Slice the sea bass against the grain into thin, sashimi-like ribbons and keep refrigerated while you make the sauce.
3. In a blender, combine the lime juice, aji amarillo paste, garlic, ginger, ice water, celery, and a pinch of salt, and blitz for 20 seconds.
4. Strain the leche de tigre through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract every drop of that citrusy, gently spicy tiger's milk.
5. Taste and adjust with salt and a little more lime until it is bright, punchy, and balanced.
6. Lay the fish ribbons in a single overlapping layer across the chilled plates like fallen petals.
7. Spoon the cold leche de tigre generously over the fish just a minute or two before serving so it lightly cures the surface but stays silky.
8. Scatter shaved red onion and cilantro over the top, then finish with toasted corn and flaky salt.
9. Tiradito is Peru's elegant, Japanese-influenced cousin of ceviche, where the fish is sliced thin rather than cubed and dressed at the last moment instead of marinated to firmness. Its glowing aji amarillo leche de tigre, chilled and poured tableside, delivers all the coastal brightness of a Lima summer in a dish that feels at once ancient and impossibly modern.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 210 kcal
• Protein: 26g
• Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 480mg