Two of my favorite ingredients are, chile piquin and shrimp! What is chile piquin aguachile? Chile piquin is one of the smallest Mexican chile peppers and one of the spiciest. It’s is used in it’s fresh and dried stages. Aguachile literally translates to chile water. There are several versions of aguachile right here on my blog.
Is it still aguachile if your are cooking the shrimp in lime juice?
Just yesterday someone asked me this question. For some the seafood should be served raw with just a little lime juice over the top with seasoning. In my experience the most popular way it is enjoyed by the masses is letting the seafood cook for at least 10 minutes. I actually started adding some cooked shrimp to my aguachile recently. I love the different textures and the presentation of it all. We eat with our eyes first!
Just get in the kitchen already!
My main goal for this blog and for sharing recipes is to inspire you to cook! Use the recipes as a guideline to create your own unique style. That’s the best part! If chile piquin aguachile is not your favorite, change it up! Use fresh serrano, jalapeño, habanero or how about smoky chile morita? Oooh, I think I just found my next aguachile recipe! Lol!
Prep ahead and measure out!
The easiest way to get through a recipe is to prep ahead and measure out all of your ingredients. Works great for a more fun cooking experience. Stress free and delicious food waiting at the end.
Are you familiar with chile piquin?
I have to confess, that I use chile piquin mostly to prepare salsa. I use mostly the dried chile piquin, because I buy plenty of it when I visit Texas. it keep very well in the refrigerator. On occasion I will get my hands on some fresh and I really enjoy it. many of my family in northern Mexico grow this type of chile. I have vivid memories of pickled chile piquin gifted to us from my abuela. And every time we would visit her in Monterrey, there was always a small bowl of fresh chile piquin sitting on the kitchen table.
But seriously what is the difference?
The difference between aguachile and ceviche is this. Aguachile is prepared with shrimp(or seafood) that was not previously frozen. This is why is can be served right away and there is no need for the shrimp to cook in the lime juice. Ceviche should be prepared this same way. Unfortunately, most of us do buy seafood that has been previously frozen. So most ceviche recipes you find call for cooking the seafood for as little as 10 minutes and and for as much as 30 minutes. Aguachile was made popular in Sinaloa, Mexico and it’s typically prepared with lime, red onion, cucumber, chile serrano, water and avocado.
Is the lime juice too much for you?
After the shrimp is done cooking, you can drain out the lime juice and then mix in the onion, cucumber, tomatoes and cilantro. Just add back in enough lime juice to coat the vegetables. Season to taste.
Chile Piquin Aguachile
Equipment
- Molcajete
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound medium shrimp peeled and cleaned
- 1 clove of garlic sliced into thirds
- 1/3 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for later
- 1 tablespoon whole dried chile piquin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Maggi sauce or soy sauce
- Fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup mini cucumbers sliced in half moons
- 1 roma tomato seeded and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped fine
- 1 small avocado sliced
- Corn tortilla tostadas or chips
Instructions
- Take six of the clean shrimp and cook for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Transfer to ice bath as soon as they are cooked.
- Butterfly open the remaining uncooked shrimp. Keep chilled until ready to use.
- In your molcajete, combine the garlic and 1/3 teaspoon of kosher salt. Grind into a smooth paste.
- Add the chile piquin and oregano. Grind until finely crushed.
- Mix in the lime juice and maggi (or soy) sauce. using a wooden spoon, stir well to get all the bit off the sides of the molcajete. Add the uncooked shrimp. Stir well and let sit for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, mix in the onion, cucumber, tomato, cilantro and reserved cooked shrimp. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sliced avocado and tostadas or chips.
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Great recipe! I imagine it would be even better with sour orange juice (i just found it wanting for a tad of sweetness), delicious though!!
Sour orange would definitely be a delicious option.