Coastal communities often will use not just one kind of fish, and may add shrimp, octopus, clams, and all kinds of seafood to their ceviche. In my area, it’s also common for chefs to add chicarrones de pescado, or crispy fried fish bites, to the top of their ceviche, to add a bit of extra contrast. Lastly, no ceviche would be complete without cancha, a salted and partially popped kind of maize that is hugely popular in Perú. The kernels are removed from the cob painstakingly by hand, selected for color (if they look anything except white or yellow, they’ve gone bad), and left to dry on large canvas mats in the sun. Then, they’re toasted in a big frying pan, tossed with salt and served alongside ceviche for a tasty, crunchy texture to accompany the soft and juicy fish.
One of Peru’s greatest economic resources is its proximity to the famous Humboldt current, a cold-water Pacific water current that brings a huge variety of fish and other seafood right next to the Peruvian coast. Peru, for example, is one of the world’s biggest producers of anchovies. For this reason, ceviche symbolizes the diversity of Peru’s famous richness of seafood. It doesn’t stop there for example. In my home region of the Andes, one of the most famous crops and staples is chocho, also known as tawi in Quechua.
