Peruvian Tiradito with Aji Amarillo and Lime

Ingredients

• 8 ounces frozen aji amarillo peppers or 1/2 cup aji amarillo paste
• 6 ounces sashimi-grade fish, such as salmon, yellowtail, fluke, or corvina
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice from about 10 limes
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• One 1-inch knob peeled fresh ginger
• Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• Choclo and/or cooked and peeled sweet potato rounds, for garnish

Directions

1. If you’re working with frozen aji amarillo chilies, put them in a medium pot and add water to cover; they’ll bob on top, and that’s fine. Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, giving it an occasional stir so the peppers turn over, then take it off the heat, drain, and let the chilies cool.
2. While they cool, take a sharp slicing knife and cut the fish into thin, flat pieces. Lay the slices on plates, then move the plates into the refrigerator.
3. In a blender, add the lime juice, garlic, and ginger, then run it on high speed until the garlic and ginger are completely broken down. Pour the mixture into a medium mixing bowl, and wash out the blender jar.
4. Pull off and throw away the pepper stems and seeds. Peel away as much skin from the chilies as you can, discarding that too, then put the chile flesh in the blender jar and blend on high speed, using only enough water to help the blades catch, until you have a smooth purée.
5. Whisk 1/2 cup (120ml) of the aji amarillo paste into the lime mixture until it looks fully unified. You can use a little less or a little more chili paste if you like, but remember that it brings body as well as heat and flavor; too little will leave the sauce runny. Add salt, then set aside the extra aji amarillo paste for something else.
6. Fold in the cilantro. Take the plates out of the refrigerator and spoon the sauce over the fish so it gets a light coating; keep any leftover sauce for another use. Add choclo and/or sweet potato to the plates if you want them, and serve right away.