Shrimp Aguachile
The name of this recipe comes from the 2 basic ingredients, water and chile. It can be as spicy as you like by adding more or less chiles. I learned to make it while cooking with my friend Alondra in Bucerias, Mexico on the Pacific coast. Although we made it with shrimp, I also had it with fresh tuna in a nearby beach café. It’s not traditional to add fruit, but I love the sweetness the watermelon gives this spicy ceviche. Alondra taught me that in her home state of Nayarit there is a saying about the spicy dish, “it wakes up the dead” or after a night of heavy drinking an aguachile will revive you. Either way, it should be eaten with a crisp tostada and washed down with a cold beer.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Shrimp Aguachile:
½ cup water
2 serrano chiles
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup watermelon, cut into ½” cubes
Process
In a blender, purée the water, chile, lime juice, ½ cup cilantro leaves, salt, and pepper. Lay the shrimp on a platter and arrange the cucumber and onion on top. Pour over the aguachile sauce and garnish with watermelon and remaining cilantro leaves. Serve with tortilla chips or tostada.
Note: This ceviche should be served soon after the sauce has been poured over the shrimp to avoid the shrimp becoming tough.
