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Ceviche, cebiche, sebiche, or seviche[a] is a dish consisting of fish or shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings, recognized by UNESCO as an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, although different versions of ceviche are part of the culinary culture of various Spanish-American countries along the Pacific Ocean where each one is native: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru. In Peru it is also considered a flagship dish and cultural heritage.
The fish is typically cured in lemon or sour lime juice, although sour orange was historically used. The dressing also includes some local variety of chili pepper or chili, replaced by mustard in some locations in Central America. The meat is usually marinated together with sliced or chopped onion and served with chopped cilantro. In Mexico, tomato and avocado are also usually included, and the addition of tomato sauce is common except in Chile, Panama and Peru.
The ceviche accompaniments can also be different: in Ecuador, with plantain, canguil or chifles patacones, and in Colombia, Panama and Guatemala, with salty soda crackers. The northern varieties usually use cookies or toast as a garnish. In Mexico, it is served with corn tostadas or with crackers; in Panama an extra option is the spicy chombo chili pepper to taste, and in Peru, it is served with garnishes of boiled root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, cassava or, very rarely, potatoes, and grains or seeds such as corn (boiled or roasted), legumes such as zarandaja, fried plantain (chifles), seaweed and lettuce; sometimes it can be accompanied by chilcano (broth made from fish heads).
