A northern coastal ceviche that lets grouper take center stage. Cold, firm cubes get a quick hit of lime, ají limo and cilantro, with crisp onion and traditional sides balancing the sharpness without muting it. Its appeal lies in how little it needs to become memorable: pristine fish, precise acidity and a platter that rarely reaches the table untouched.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Place the corn in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 minutes, add the yellow sweet potato and continue for another 12 to 15 minutes, removing each as it reaches the right texture. The corn should be tender with some bite, while a knife should slide easily into the sweet potato without it beginning to fall apart. Drain and let both cool while you prepare the ceviche.
Keep the grouper refrigerated until this point and cut it into even cubes about 2 cm across. Slice the red onion into very thin feathers, chop the cilantro, and finely cut the ají limo, reserving a little chile for the finish. Use fish suitable for raw consumption from a trusted source with a clean smell; lime adds flavor and texture, but it does not make poorly handled fish safe.
Place the grouper in a cold bowl, add the salt, most of the ají limo and the cilantro, and toss gently. Pour in the freshly squeezed lime juice and mix again for 45 to 60 seconds, only until the surface of the fish begins to look slightly opaque while the center remains pearly and juicy. Do not leave it sitting in the acid.
Add the red onion and remaining ají limo, toss for only 15 to 20 seconds, and serve immediately with the sweet potato, corn and toasted corn. The fish should reach the table cold and firm, surrounded by fresh juices with the onion still crisp. And that's it! When the grouper is this good, the hard part is not making it—it is convincing everyone to wait until you finish serving.
