Tiradito is a Peruvian dish that features thinly sliced raw fish in a spicy chile sauce also known as leche de tigre. We’ve used octopus in this one, but any fresh, raw fish would be absolutely delicious. 

Ready in 1 hour Makes 4 servings as an appetizer 

For the amarillo chile paste 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• ¼ cup diced onion 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 amarillo chiles or 2 red chiles and ½ yellow pepper, deseeded and minced 

For the leche de tigre

• 1¼ cups fresh lime juice plus more to taste 
• ½ -inch piece of peeled ginger
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 4 cilantro sprigs 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon amarillo chile paste 

For the octopus  

• 3 small octopus tentacles, pounded and sliced into thin pieces 
• ½ cup thinly-sliced red onion 
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves for garnish 
• 1 tablespoon fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish 
• Flaky salt such as Maldon for finishing 

1 Make the amarillo chile paste. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sweat onion until soft and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and minced chiles and cook until everything is soft and aromatic. Leave to cool completely before grinding to a fine paste in a food processor or molcajete. 

2 Place the fresh lime juice in a bowl and add the ginger, garlic, cilantro and salt. Leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes. Strain liquid into another bowl and blend with 1 tablespoon amarillo chile paste. Add more citrus, chile or salt to taste. 

3 To assemble the tiradito, use a spoon to place some leche de tigre on the bottom of a shallow plate or bowl. Working one slice at a time, dip the octopus into the remaining liquid and then place it on the plate. Top with onion slices, fresh cilantro leaves, pomegranate seeds and Maldon for finishing. Serve immediately. Alternatively, ingredients can all be tossed together in a bowl and served at a later time. Tiradito will last for up to three days in the fridge.