Green Aguachile

History & Origin

Aguachile originates from the coasts of Sinaloa, in northwestern Mexico, and has its roots in the fishing practices of the region. Sinaloan fishermen prepared a primitive version of aguachile using wild chiltepines crushed in water with lime to cure freshly caught shrimp. The green version, the most classic, uses serrano chile as its base, giving it its characteristic intense green color and considerable level of heat. Unlike ceviche, where the fish marinates for an extended period, in aguachile the shrimp are served practically raw, barely touched by the acid of the lime. The name aguachile is literal: chile water. The sauce should be very liquid, almost like a spicy consomme, and the shrimp should swim in it. Thinly sliced red onion and cucumber provide freshness and texture, whilst avocado softens the intense heat. Sinaloa is the most important shrimp-producing state in Mexico, and aguachile became its signature dish. Today there are variants such as black aguachile (with soy), red (with arbol chile) and purple (with beet), but the green remains the original and most respected.