Aguachile de Camarón (Sinaloa-Style Lime-Cured Shrimp)
Local name: Aguachile de camarón
In short: Butterflied shrimp cured in a fiery blend of lime juice, serrano chile, cilantro and cucumber, served with onion, avocado and tostadas. It takes about 30 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Resting
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 230 kcal
Aguachile, meaning chile water, comes from the Pacific coast state of Sinaloa. Raw shrimp are bathed in a bright green sauce of lime juice, serrano chiles, cilantro and cucumber, which turns the flesh opaque and firm within minutes, much like ceviche. It is served at once with thin red onion, cucumber and avocado, and eaten on crisp tostadas. The dish is fresh and hot, best on a warm day, and the shrimp must be impeccably fresh.
Instructions
- Lay the butterflied shrimp in a single layer in a shallow glass dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and pour over the 60 ml (1/4 cup) lime juice. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes until the shrimp turn opaque and firm.
- Meanwhile, blend the 120 ml (1/2 cup) lime juice with the serranos, cilantro, chopped cucumber, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt until smooth. Strain if you want a clear sauce.
- Spread the sliced cucumber and red onion over a serving plate. Lift the shrimp from the dish and arrange them over the vegetables.
- Pour the green sauce over the shrimp. Taste a shrimp and adjust salt or lime if needed.
- Top with avocado slices and serve immediately with tostadas. Eat within 20 minutes, while the shrimp are still tender.
Tips
- Food safety: lime juice firms shrimp but does not kill all bacteria the way heat does. Use very fresh shrimp, ideally frozen at sea, keep them cold and serve the same day. Skip raw shellfish for pregnant women, young children and anyone with a weak immune system.
- Remove the seeds from the chiles for a milder sauce, or add an extra serrano for a hot, traditional Sinaloa kick.
Questions and answers
Is aguachile cooked?
Not with heat. The acid in the lime juice firms and whitens the shrimp, but they are still essentially raw. For a safer version, blanch the shrimp first.
What is the difference between aguachile and ceviche?
Aguachile is served almost right away in a blended chile-lime sauce, so the center of the shrimp stays tender. Ceviche cures longer and is usually fish in plain citrus.
Can I use cooked shrimp for aguachile?
Yes. Boil raw shrimp for 1 minute, cool them in ice water and toss them in the sauce for 5 minutes. The texture is firmer but the flavor is just as bright.
How long does it take to make Aguachile de Camarón (Sinaloa-Style Lime-Cured Shrimp)?
About 30 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Aguachile de Camarón (Sinaloa-Style Lime-Cured Shrimp)?
About 230 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 14 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 230 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 750 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
