Ceviche is a traditional Latin American dish made by "cooking" raw fish in citrus juice, usually lime. The document provides a recipe for making ceviche that uses shortcuts like curing the fish overnight in vinegar instead of squeezing fresh lime juice, and using frozen fish filets instead of fresh fish. The recipe instructs to cure sliced fish in vinegar overnight, then rinse, add to a mixture of chopped chillies, spring onions, lime juice, salt, olive oil and pepper to make the ceviche.

1. Ceviche is a traditional dish from the coastal regions of South and Central America. The acid from lime juice changes the protein in the fish so it seems cooked – but no heat is applied.

2. Because I don’t want to spend hours squeezing lime, I cure the fish overnight in synthetic vinegar, then rinse the cured fish and douse it in a lemon vinaigrette. My second shortcut is the choice of fish. Instead of buying fresh fish, I use frozen fish filets. I only buy frozen fish filets in packets that look well closed. I also pay attention that the fish is not covered in big ice crystals. That is a sign that the fish has been defrosted and refrozen.

3. Ingredients (for 4 big servings): 1 kilogram frozen fish filets 1 litre synthetic vinegar 12 lime, maybe less, maybe more 100 ml extra virgin olive oil 3 or 4 fresh, big red chillies 1-bundle spring onions salt pepper

4. Cut the fish into slices around one centimetre thick. Place the slices into a container and pour the vinegar over it. The fish should be completely covered by the vinegar so it cures evenly.

5. The fish should not be completely defrosted because it is a lot easier to cut into equal slices when it is slightly frozen.

6. I prefer synthetic vinegar because it does not imbue any flavour to the fish.

7. Close the container and leave it overnight in the fridge. Some people claim that you can overcook fish by marinating it and advise not to cure it for longer than 30 minutes or so. I think this is highly exaggerated. The following day, drain the fish and rinse it thoroughly with drinking water. Drain it again and place it into a sufficiently big container or plate.

8. Wash the spring onions and the chillies and chop them finely. I put them into a glass with a tight fitting lid. Squeeze your lime or lemons. You need about 60 to 70 ml of juice. Add the lemon or lime juice to the chopped chillies in the glass. Add about one teaspoon of salt, close the lid and shake the glass until the salt has dissolved. Adjoin the olive oil and pepper and shake again until you have a fine emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the fish and mix everything well. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.

9. If you feel adventurous, you can take the taste of ceviche in different directions. I like the taste and the look of chillies with spring onion. But you could also make a kind of Mediterranean ceviche with oregano, thyme and garlic. Or you could add the Indian favourite herb coriander and maybe some garam masala with ginger and/or cumin powder. Enjoy!