Ingredients:
2 lbs FRESH Mahi
3 Limes
2 Lemmons
2 Tomatoes
1 Bunch of fresh Cilantro
1 Small red onion
2 Cloves of garlic
3 Chiles de Arbol (dried red chilis)
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Yes, Ceviche is technically raw fish... but not really. The fish is cooked by the acid of the citrus juice it sits in. I start by cutting up the Mahi into VERY small pieces. This will help it to "cook" through evenly and quickly. Place it into a large Ziploc bag and squeeze in 2 limes and 2 lemons. Season it with salt, pepper and oregano. Below is a picture of what the fish will look like when you start.
The fish needs to sit in the juice until it loses the pinkish color and fishy texture. It will become white and opaque. You can tell when it is "cooked" because the consistency will be close to that of regularly (i.E. heat) cooked fish. I let mine sit overnight and through the next day.
While the fish is hanging out in it's citrus bath, finely chop the tomatoes, cilantro, chiles, garlic and onion. Depending on how hot you like it you can add or remove the chile seeds. Add the juice of 1 lime and season with a little salt. Let this sit for a bit and the flavors will really develop.
A note about the chiles: If you leave the seeds it will cause your mouth to be on fire. I am a wimp when it comes to hot and I only like a little "bite". Removing the seeds will mean a nice heat when you're eating, but not residual 3rd degree burns in your mouth that last for 3 hours after.
When the fish has "cooked" drain the remaining lemon/lime juice from the bag and put the fish into a shallow dish. stir in the tomato mixture and allow about 5 minutes for the flavors to absorb each other.
You can serve this on crostini or with tortilla chips. I prefer to enjoy big scoopfuls on corn tortilla chips with a mint mojito.
