Aguachile, a signature dish from Sinaloa, combines raw shrimp with hot peppers and lime, creating a bold, lively flavor profile. Margarita Carrillo Arronte traces its origins to inland Sinaloa, where it was initially made with carne seca, while chef Francisco Leal shares a different account, linking it to the poor in Los Mochis who mixed basic ingredients to create 'chile water.' Over time, aguachile evolved, reaching coastal areas like Mazatlán and then expanding into places like Los Angeles, becoming a staple of the Mexican food scene there. Unlike ceviche, aguachile's shrimp remains translucent, merely marinated by lime.
A good plate of Sinaloa-style aguachile starts with liquid hot peppers, lots of lime, and freshly butterflied, raw shrimp. The flavor and heat build like a strong corrido: dramatic and full of contrast, tension and release.
Margarita Carrillo Arronte asserts that aguachile began in the sun-baked ranchlands of inland Sinaloa, not the coast. The original version was made with carne seca, rehydrated in water and jolted awake with chiltepín peppers.
Francisco Leal shares a legend that aguachile was invented in the hills of Los Mochis, where poor people mixed tomatoes, onions, and hot water with ground chiltepín, dipping tortillas in it.
Despite the comparisons, aguachile is not ceviche. In traditional Sinaloa aguachile, shrimp stays translucent, kissed but not cooked by the spicy lime juice.
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