Bricia Lopez Maytorena’s Salsa Macha Ceviche Is a Perfect 10

I already told you about my new favorite cookbook author and food ‘grammer Bricia Lopez Maytorena in my review of her paletas recipe. But Popsicles weren’t the only recipe of hers that I’ve made lately. Soon after I came across her Instagram page, she posted a tuna ceviche Reel that left me salivating. Her caption: “Tuna, salsa macha, lime, cilantro, Persian cucumbers, sesame oil, salt, avocado and sesame seeds. All over a tostada casera. Trust.”

In the heat of summer, a cool ceviche sounded like exactly what I needed — especially considering I just so happened to have Jenn de la Vega’s salsa macha in my fridge. Jenn’s recipe differs from Bricia’s a bit (she shares a couple different varieties on her Instagram) but that didn’t really matter in the end.

I went out in search of some ceviche-grade tuna (aka super fresh) but I could only find scallops. I chopped the scallops the same way Bricia prepared the tuna, in small 1/2-inch(ish) pieces.

Next, Bricia adds the juice of a couple limes, stirs in a generous amount of salsa macha, then adds chopped Persian cucumbers. From here I had to divert from her recipe. I omitted the avocado because I am allergic, but I could totally see how the flavor and texture would be complementary to the overall dish. I also kept my cilantro on the side because I have a daughter who thinks she doesn’t like it (even though I sneak it into dishes all the time without her knowledge). And because the ceviche had delicious deep savory notes and my palate wanted a hint of sweetness to balance it all out, I added a few splashes of Sweet and Tangy Rice Vinegar.

When I was preparing this I almost skipped the tostada, mostly because I’m lazy and didn’t want to walk to the store for tortillas. Nor did I feel like frying them. But I could see how the tostada would provide important texture and flavor to the dish, so I talked myself out of that nonsense. The tostada is essential and not to be skipped.

I absolutely recommend Bricia’s recipe. I have been obsessed with salsa macha this year and this was a great way to use this ingredient. The ceviche had great flavor with just a touch of heat. It’s easy to customize and is definitely a crowd-pleaser. If you’re going to be serving salsa macha al fresco, which I also recommend, place the ceviche in a glass bowl then set the bowl over ice to keep the ceviche cold and food-safe.