What's the term for "cooking" food by the application of some kind of acid--vinegar or lemon juice, usually? The acid breaks it down. I've heard the word on the Food Network but have forgotten it.
Here is an interesting etymological speculation (link for ceviche < escabeche < Arabic al-sikbāj 'sweet and sour stewed beef' < Persian sik 'vinegar' + bā 'broth'. Other etymolgies have been proposed and are mentioned in the Wikipedia article that Faldo linked to.
As for the process, I thought it was simply called marination.
Ok--many posts for one reply? No, and it's not macerate either, I don't think. That is, the item is marinated but more occurs than that if you leave it too long.
Well--I found one answer though it's not what I'm (possibly mis-) remembering: Citric acid in lime juice changes the proteins in fish by a process called denaturation.
Marination is a general term for a process in which there might be a small amount of the ceviche process going on, but I think what Jackie is looking for is the technique where that is all that you do and then you eat it without cooking it.
Marination is a general term for a process in which there might be a small amount of the ceviche process going on, but I think what Jackie is looking for is the technique where that is all that you do and then you eat it without cooking it.
You are no doubt right, but I think of marination as a process and ceviche as a dish.