Shrimp ceviche is a cold dish made from vegetables and shrimp that have been marinated in a sauce containing lime juice. The shrimp is cooked before marinating it with the vegetables in an acidic sauce. Usually, shrimp ceviche does not have seafood in it other than cooked shrimp. Ceviches of many kinds are common appetizer dishes in Central and South America.
In general, ceviche can be made with a variety of seafood. A shrimp ceviche is most often made with shrimp only. Since it lacks raw fish, which can be off-putting to some eaters, shrimp ceviche can be a good way for those unfamiliar with ceviche to try the dish. This dish is generally considered safer than ceviche with raw fish, since it contains cooked shrimp, and it is somewhat similar to a shrimp cocktail.
Sometimes, ceviche is made with vinegar instead of lime juice. The vegetables used in shrimp ceviche vary, but generally include cucumbers, tomato, and onion. Vegetables are usually cut into small, bite-sized pieces for easy chewing and an individual crunch.
Ketchup is often used in the sauce that flavors shrimp ceviche. Other flavors often used in a ceviche include garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno. Depending on how long the ceviche is set to marinate, the process may change the texture of the vegetables as well. Fruit sometimes makes an appearance in ceviche to add a sweet and surprising flair. Popular fruits used in ceviche include mango, passion fruit, and grapefruit.
Ceviche is often made using raw fish. Soaking the raw fish in an acidic mixture makes the texture of the fish more firm. While the acid kills some bacteria, it does not work as well as cooking, so only fresh, immaculately clean fish should be used for making ceviche.
In restaurants, most raw fish ceviche is made using sashimi-grade fish, which is intended to be eaten raw. The most common type of fish in traditional ceviche is flounder. Since the shrimp in shrimp ceviche is cooked, it does not have to be as fresh. Shrimp ceviche is often made using pre-cooked shrimp intended for cocktail shrimp.
