Destination
Bogota
The story
Cartagena's ceviche de camarón is not the Peruvian dish. There's no raw fish and no leche de tigre. What Colombians on the Caribbean coast call ceviche is closer to a shrimp cocktail: quickly-cooked shrimp tossed cold in a dressing of ketchup, mayo, lime juice, orange juice, finely diced onion, red pepper, coriander and a hit of hot sauce, chilled well, served in a small paper cup with a handful of saltine crackers on the side. Sold from carts along the seaside from Cartagena's Bocagrande to Barranquilla's boardwalk.
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with the salt and the halved lime. Drop in the shrimp and cook 60 to 90 seconds only, until pink and just opaque. Drain immediately.
Plunge the drained shrimp into a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes to stop the cooking and cool them fast. Drain well and pat dry.
In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mayo, lime juice, orange juice, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Fold in the red onion, red pepper, chilli or ají and most of the coriander (save some for serving).
Add the cold shrimp to the dressing and toss to coat. Taste and adjust: more lime for sharpness, more ají for heat, more salt if flat.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, ideally 2. The flavours marry noticeably in the fridge.
Spoon into small cups or glasses. Scatter with remaining coriander. Serve with a handful of soda crackers stuck into the top, extra lime wedges and more hot sauce on the side.
Tips
- Don't overcook the shrimp. 60 to 90 seconds in boiling water is enough. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery and are the most common failure of home ceviche de camarón.
- Ice bath is not optional. Shrimp keep cooking from residual heat if not shocked immediately. A proper ice bath halts the cook and keeps them plump and tender.
- The pink dressing is the whole point. The classic salsa rosada (ketchup + mayo + lime + orange) is what makes it Cartagena. Skip either the ketchup or the mayo and you have a different dish (fine, but not this one).
- Chill for at least an hour. The dressing needs time to bloom into the shrimp. Straight-from-the-bowl ceviche tastes flat; well-chilled ceviche tastes bright and integrated.
- Saltine crackers are the traditional partner. The dry, salty cracker breaks the richness and mimics the beach-vendor presentation. Tortilla chips are a fine substitute; bread is not.
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