KITCHEN Ecuadorian cuisine has inherited many features of the culinary traditions of the numerous Native American peoples who inhabited this area before the arrival of Europeans. Moreover, the Spanish influence characteristic of all the countries of the region is seen here, perhaps, much less than in neighboring countries. Ecuadorians continue to have a higher preference for soups and stews, various dishes made from cereals, rice, eggs and vegetables. And potatoes and other "European" side dishes are gladly replaced by fried bananas, yuca, cassava and other fruits of the local flora. Soups are without doubt the brightest part of Ecuadorian cuisine. There are a lot of them here, and for the most part, the recipe for local soups is entirely built on the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors. Typically the most popular dishes are locro soup with cheese, avocado and potatoes, caldo de galina chicken soup, fish and vegetable chupe de pescado, and various exotic dishes such as potato soup. jaguarlocro "with blood," caldo de mangera soup from bovine genitals, or "caldo de pata" broth, delicious for the locals, with fried veal hooves. Meat in the diet of local residents is becoming more and more, therefore, for this, previously very rare product in the local diet, mostly Spanish recipes are used. Although the influence of Indian cultures is noticeable here too - it is worth trying the famous national delicacy "Kui" (fried meat of a guinea pig, better known in our country as "guinea pig"), roast suckling pig "lechon", "guatita" - an Ecuadorian dish made from fried in tripe peanut butter (mondongo) with spices, potatoes and fried green bananas (patacones), lard-fried fritada pork, chornado baked pork, lomo steak and beef steak with onions and lomo tomatoes -saltado ", stewed with rice and avocado chicken" seco de polio ", whole fried or stewed carcass of a goat" seco de chivo "and others. At the same time, tacos "de-mais", fried corn "Kangil" or fried green bananas of a special variety "patacones" with salt or "chifles" (thinner slices of bananas, prepared according to the same recipe) are usually served. Also, rice, potatoes, yams, cassava and other root vegetables are widely used as a side dish. On the coast and in the Amazon, potatoes are often replaced by "minestra" (beans or lentils) or yucca. But all this is usually sprinkled with the local hot sauce "aji", the options of which are more than two hundred. Ceviche (fish and seafood) is another type of cuisine in which Ecuadorians have reached great heights of excellence. Here, even far in the mountains, you can always find excellent restaurants with seafood, and in each area even widespread dishes are prepared with their own flavor added to the recipe. The classic ceviche is made by marinating raw seafood in lime juice and hot peppers and served with raw onions and various side dishes. On the north coast, for example, you can taste delicious "encosados" fish dishes with a sauce of coconut milk, tomato and garlic, served with a huge mountain of rice or popcorn. In the southern part of the coast, the seafood soup "levanta muerto", the spicy seafood soup "supe de mariscos" and all kinds of sea bass "sorvina" deserve attention. Moreover, "ceviche" can be prepared both from fish ("de pescado"), and shrimp ("de camarones"), shellfish ("de concha"), squid ("de calmari"), or all together (" mixed "). The jungle supplies Ecuadorians with a wide variety of fruits, including exotic fruits such as chirimoya (tastes like custard), mami with a meat-like heart, or pepinos, which is like a striped cucumber. Accordingly, fruit juices "hugos" enjoy great attention. Juices can be either freshly squeezed ("puro") or mixed with water or milk ("batidos") and are excellent thirst quenchers. Only in Ecuador can you taste the unique fruit juice "Naranilla", which is something between citrus and peach. For sweet dishes, humitas sweet corn, delectable sweet biscuits, and empanadas are worth noticing. Inhabited by a huge number of local tribes, Oriente has a very diverse, albeit somewhat rustic, cuisine, the main products of which are yuca, rice, bananas, a huge amount of river fish (including the famous piranha) and a variety of game, ranging from wild pigs to large rodents "guanta". Despite the fact that Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of coffee in the world, for some reason this drink itself is of very low quality, regardless of the level of the establishment. Tea ("te") is drunk without milk and usually with a slice of lemon. Herbal teas ("aromatikas" or "mate") are among the favorite drinks of the local population, and the variety of aromas and recipes used here to prepare these drinks is simply amazing. Ecuador is famous for its beer, which is among the best in South America. The most popular brand is Pilsner, but Club and Biela are also good. Ecuadorian wines are still extremely rare, but first-class Chilean and Argentine wines (very cheap, by the way) can be found everywhere. Imported alcoholic beverages are also readily available but relatively expensive. Traditional local drinks include the famous "pisco" or the more democratic "canelazo" ("canelito") made from sugar cane, lemon, sugar and cinnamon. Also in many establishments, especially in the Sierra, you can find an unusual alcoholic drink "chicha", which is a specially fermented infusion of yucca (a very specific drink, it should be noted). Aguardiente (cana or punta) is another local drink that most closely resembles a very strong rum. It is often blended with fruit juices, sugar, cinnamon ("cannella") and hot water to create a warming drink especially popular in the highlands. Also in Ecuador, rum is made, not of the best quality, but very cheap.

Ecuadorian cuisine is a heritage of Indian peoples. Here, the influence of Spain is felt much less than in other countries of Latin America. The population of the country prefers dishes made from vegetables, eggs, cereals and rice. Soups and stews, cassava, fried bananas and yucca are also common here.

Soups are an invariable attribute of any table. Most of the modern recipes are based on Native American recipes. The most common soups are Lokro, which includes potatoes, cheese and avocado; chicken soup "Caldo de gallina" from vegetables and fish. In addition, exotic dishes are very common: Caldo de Pata broth from fried veal hooves, Jaguarlokro potato soup, which has blood in its consistency.

One of the national delicacies is Kui, a dish made from fried guinea pig meat, Lechon is a roast suckling pig, Guatita is a national treat made from tripe fried in peanut butter with potatoes, spices and fried green bananas; baked pork "Hornado"; beef steak with tomatoes, onions, rice and avocado; "Fritada" - pork fried in lard, etc.

As a rule, dishes are served at the table: "De-mais" made from tacos, "Kangil" - fried corn or green bananas with salt, fried in oil. Potatoes, cassava, rice, yams and other root vegetables are often used as a side dish. The potato can sometimes be replaced with a "Menestra" - made from lentils or beans - or yuka. All these dishes are served with the national hot sauce "Aji".

Another type of cuisine in which the population of the country is very successful is “Ceviche”, the main attributes of which are seafood and fish. The traditional Ceviche consists of pickled hot peppers and raw seafood in lime juice. It is served on the table with various side dishes and raw onions.

In the north of the country, you can often see the unique fish dishes "Enkosados" with tomatoes, garlic and coconut milk sauce on the table. They are served with a lot of rice or popcorn.

A wide variety of exotic fruits can be found in the local jungle, including chirimoya, mami and pepinos. Fruit juices, both freshly squeezed and mixed with milk or water, are in great demand among the population. All these juices are good thirst quenchers. Also here you can find a unique juice under the local name "Naranilla", which is roughly the middle between peach and citrus fruits.

Herbal teas "Mate" or "Aromatikas" are among the most popular drinks in the country. And the number of types and varieties of these drinks is one of the largest in Ecuador.

Education of Ecuador

Hotels in Ecuador

Traditional dishes Ecuadorian cuisine amaze the imagination with their diversity and uniqueness. Ecuadorian cuisine deservedly considered one of the most ascetic, but, nevertheless, the most delicious in the world. - the only Latin American country that managed to most fully preserve the culinary traditions of the Indian peoples who inhabited the territory of the country before the arrival of Europeans.

Unlike, for example, the one that adopted many gastronomic ideas from Africans; or from and, whose cuisines have absorbed Spanish traditions. Ecuadorians, like hundreds of years ago, prefer various soups, seafood dishes, all kinds of side dishes made from rice, cereals, vegetables and eggs. Various "European" side dishes and potatoes are successfully replaced with fried bananas, yucca (a tropical plant of the agave family), cassava and other fruits of the local flora in all sorts of variations and forms. Most of all on the table of Ecuadorians are rice, banana, yucca and potato dishes.

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The most striking component of the national cuisine is, of course, soups.

It is all kinds of soups that occupy a special place in the cooking of the Ecuadorians. For the most part, the recipe for local soups is built on centuries-old Indian traditions.

Perhaps the most popular soup in Ecuador is the potato Locro de papas, which is prepared with maize and peas and served with grated cheese and avocado.

Dishes such as chicken soup "K aldo de gallina"(Spanish Caldo de Gallina)," Chupe de pescado "(Spanish Chupín de pescado) - fish soup with vegetables," Sancocho "(Spanish Sancocho) - fish soup with banana and yucca. In general, the most popular soups are those made from mashed green bananas, corn cobs, and also fish and seafood.

The composition of the dish can be judged by the endings of the names, for example: "-de pescado" - fish soup, "-de concha" - from shellfish, "-de pulpo" - a dish made from octopuses, "-de Camerones" - soup from shrimp, and "-seviche mixto" is an assorted soup of several main ingredients.

The peculiarities of the life of the indigenous population of the country undoubtedly affected the composition of traditional dishes, therefore various exotic dishes are popular in the national cuisine of the country: potato soup with blood "Jaguarlocro" (Spanish Yaguarlocro), " Caldo de mangera"(Spanish Caldo de Manger) - a soup made from bovine genitals, as well as a delicious broth" Caldo de patas "(Spanish Caldo de patas) with fried veal hooves.

One of the most exotic national dishes is the fried guinea pig "Cuy", which is usually served in the highlands of Ecuador (photo below).

In any, even a tiny restaurant, you will be offered a traditional dish "Ceviche" (Spanish Ceviche) - a complex dish made from fresh seafood marinated in lime juice with the addition of red hot pepper; the most popular dish "Patacon" (Spanish Patacon) - fried bananas and "Kangrehada" (Spanish Kangrehada) - crabs cooked in a special way.

In fact, Ceviche (seafood dishes) is a whole layer of Ecuadorian cuisine, in which Ecuadorians have achieved the highest skill. Here, even high in the mountains, you can find excellent restaurants offering seafood dishes, and in each area they are prepared with their own special flavor. For example, on the north coast, you can try the encosados ​​fish dish with a sauce made from coconut milk, garlic and tomatoes, served with a heap of rice or popcorn. On the southern part of the Ecuadorian coast, the spicy seafood soup Levanta muerto and all kinds of seafood dishes from Sorvina are very popular.

Also loved and popular from fish dishes " salmon con velduras"(Spanish Salmone con velduraz) - salmon stewed with vegetables," Aros marineros "(Spanish Aros marineroc) - rice with seafood and" Trucha "(Spanish Trucha) - river trout.

In the cooking of local residents, the amount of meat is increasing, so meat dishes, previously a very rare product in the Indian diet, are prepared mostly according to Spanish recipes. However, traditional Indian meat dishes have also survived: it is worth trying "lechon" (Spanish Lechon) - a roast from a tender suckling pig; "Guatita" (Spanish Guatita) - a dish made from tripe (cow's stomach) in peanut sauce and potatoes; "Mondongo" (Spanish Mondongo) - soup from cow's entrails with spices; "Patacones" (Spanish Ratacones) - fried unsweetened green bananas with guacomole; "Fritada" (Spanish Fritada) - fried pork with onions and garlic; "Hornado" (Spanish Hornado) - baked pork; beef steak "lomo" (Spanish Lomo); fried steak with onions and tomatoes "lomo saltado" (Spanish: Lomo saltado); "Seco de pollo" (Spanish: Seco de pollo) - stewed chicken garnished with rice and avocado; "Churasco" (Spanish Churrasco) - scrambled eggs cooked in the form of a steak on charcoal, served with rice, fried banana and vegetable salad; "Seco de chivo" (Spanish: Seco de chivo) - whole fried lamb or goat carcass with peanut sauce, etc.

Instead of our usual bread, meat is served with special maize cakes "De maiz", fried corn "Kangil" (Spanish Cangil), the most popular dish "Patacones" (Spanish Patacones) - green bananas of a special kind, fried in oil, or "Chifles" is a kind of banana chips. Potatoes, rice, cassava, yam tubers and other root vegetables are used as a side dish in the gastronomy of Ecuador. Coastal and coastal areas often use beans, lentils and yucca, which are sprinkled with ajì sauce, usually made with woody tomatoes, onions, garlic and lemon juice, although the popular Ecuadorian sauce has more options. 200.

Beverages

Surprisingly, in the country where coffee is grown, this drink is not very popular, and the usual tea made from tea leaves is found rarely at all, here they often drink herbal teas ("Aromatica" or "Mate") from all kinds of local herbs and flowers ... These teas are among the favorite drinks of the Ecuadorians, and the variety of flavors and recipes for these delicious drinks is striking.

And for lovers of fruit juices, Ecuador is a true paradise! The jungle provides the Ecuadorian table with an abundance of fruits, including exotic ones such as chirimoya with delicious custard-like flavors, mami with a meat-like heart, or pepinos that looks like a striped cucumber. Fruit juices "hugos" (Spanish Jugos) are also very popular. Juices can be freshly squeezed ("jugos naturales"), and mixed with milk or water "batidos" (Spanish Batidos) - both are excellent thirst quenchers.

Most often, all kinds of "juice products" are consumed here, when fruits and berries are ground in a blender with water. As an exotic thing, it is worth trying the juice of woody tomatoes "tomates de arbo" (it tastes like a combination of tomato and orange juices), only in Ecuador it is possible to enjoy naranjilla juice (Latin Solanum quitoense) - the "golden fruit of the Andes" with the taste of pineapple, strawberries and passionfruit at the same time. For dessert, in addition to a rich variety of tropical fruits, you will be offered local ice cream yokoso (Spanish Yokoso; thick ice yogurt), sweet corn "humitas" (Spanish Humitas) and amazingly delicious biscuits!

Ecuador is famous for its beer, by the way, Ecuadorian beer is considered one of the best in the South American continent. The most popular brands are Pilsner, Belle and Club.

For stronger drinks, it is worth tasting the cane vodka "aguardiente" (Spanish Aguardiente; meaning "fire water") - a local drink strongly reminiscent of strong rum. It is often mixed with fruit juices, sugar, cinnamon, getting a warming drink, especially popular in the highlands of the country. Corn chicha (Spanish Chicha) is also popular.

Traditional drinks of Ecuadorian cuisine include the famous elite "pisco" (Spanish Pisco) from muscat grapes or "canelazo" - a more democratic drink made from sugar cane, lemon, cinnamon and sugar.

But no matter how much we talk about the delights of Ecuadorian cuisine, as folk wisdom says: "It's better to try once than hear 100 times!"

Ecuadorian cuisine is similar to Peruvian and Colombian cuisine, in it you can find similarities with the cuisine of Argentina and, but it is probably the only one that strongly resembles the cuisine of the Indians who have lived on this land since ancient times. But for me it is also special because Ecuador is the country with which I began my acquaintance with South America.

After the trip, after reading about the history of the continent, I learned that in Ecuador the Spanish conquerors did not destroy the local population, as in other Latin American countries, but tried to establish contact with them in order to use their traditions for their own purposes. Thanks to this, the authentic Ecuadorian cuisine has been preserved, and now, trying the local dishes, you can imagine how something similar was eaten hundreds of years ago.

Regions of Ecuador and their cuisine

Ecuador can be roughly divided into four regions:

• East(Oriente) - Amazon jungle, where Indians wear skirts made of leaves, like in an encyclopedia of races and ethnic groups.
• The mountains(Sierra) - The Andes, where many volcanoes are active and the Indians wear hats.
• Coast(Costa) - Pacific Ocean, beaches and palm trees.
• Galapagos Islands- a preserve of Darwin's nature, inhabited by many unique species.

Fish and seafood are eaten on the coast: for example, shrimp soup-snack - ceviche. In the mountains, they eat meat: pork, beef, chicken and what they like to present to tourists as a delicacy - fried guinea pig. Read more about Ecuador and its attractions in, Galapagos - this. Here you can also read about the food of the mainland of the country.

Snacks

For example, you flew to. You went to have lunch at a restaurant. Ordered a dish - on the advice of a local or by spontaneous sliding of a finger along the lines of the menu. You are waiting for the order to arrive. But on the table, instead of what you want, a plate appears with unidentified white cereals mixed with brown pieces of unknown origin and a plate with ginger nuts that look like acorns. You are at a loss. The waiter leaves calmly. There is nothing to do - local cuisine, we try and study.

Hints:

• Mote(Mote) is a special kind of local corn. White in color and neutral in taste. It is usually boiled and served as a snack. These are the mysterious white flakes on your plate.
• Chicharron(Chicharrón) - Small pieces of meat, salty and heavily fried. They are served before the main course, often mixed with mote. Fried meat is the best snack, according to Ecuadorians.
• Choclaw(Choclo) - dried and fried corn. What at first could be mistaken for nuts or acorns.

Basic snacks are often served out of order, especially in simple country restaurants. Most often they are included in the bill. But there are snacks that require a special order:

• Chifles(Chifles) - Fried green banana chips.
• Empanadas(Empanadas) - fried or baked pies made of thin dough, similar in shape to dumplings. There are many filling options: meat, beans, cheese, vegetables, fruits.
• Patakones(Patacones) - Fried, ripe banana tortillas.
• Yapingachos(Llapingachos) - potato pancakes.
• Yucca bread(Pan de yuca) - Jungle root vegetable cakes. Excursions to Indian tribes often include an attraction - making flatbread under the guidance of local people. For example, I myself uprooted the yucca, rubbed it on a large grater, sculpted the dough and fried it over the fire. The bread tastes rather bland, but it is prepared with soul.

Main courses: fish and meat

Nature determines the national cuisine: fish is eaten on the coast, meat - in the mountains.

If you are driving to the coast or choosing a dish from the "Mariscos" (seafood) section, try these:

• Fish in coconut sauce(Encocado de pescado). The local sea bass is called corvina, it is stewed with vegetables and served with coconut sauce.
• Shrimps. Camarones- small, Langostions- large.

If you go to the mountains or choose a dish from the "Carnes" (meat) section, then these are:

• Freetada(Fritada) - fried pork with onions and garlic.
• Seko de chivo(Seco de chivo) is a goat stew.
• Seko de poyo(Seco de pollo) - stewed chicken.
• Kui(Cuy) is the same fried guinea pig that is cooked in restaurants and on the streets in mountain villages.

Side dishes and sauces

When ordering meat or fish, know that the generous Ecuadorians will accompany them with a side dish and not even one. A large platter with an impressive serving of the main course includes fresh vegetables, rice, avocado, and sometimes potatoes, corn or lentils. Most often, Ecuadorian dishes are served with rice and vegetables, root vegetables, beans and corn in any form are also used. You will definitely not stay hungry.

As for sauces, they are not very common here. Except that in every cafe and restaurant there is ahi(Ajì) is a very hot sauce made from the pepper of the same name. It is added to soups or rice.

Soups

What makes Latin American and Russian cuisines in common is the popularity of soups. If you have an impressive gastronomic experience and can accommodate the inevitable appetizer, soup, and main course with several side dishes in one meal, then try everything. If you are afraid to overestimate the capacity of the stomach, then give preference to soup. He's amazing here!

What exactly to try:

• Ceviche(Ceviche) - cold seafood soup. The classic recipe includes shrimp, lemon or lime, onions, and tomatoes. Ideal in hot weather, popular in the Galapagos and the coast. Sometimes it is not served as a soup, but as an appetizer, that is, without broth.
• Lockro(Locro) - hot potato soup with cheese and avocado. Very satisfying, very South American. It is served with half an avocado, which must be scooped out of the peel with a spoon and put into the soup. Eat with a drop of ahi sauce.
• Esneboyado(Encebollado) - fish soup with onions. In the classic recipe, tuna, yucca, tomatoes and onions are required. The dish is versatile: it is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning, soup is popular as a hangover cure.

Fruits

Ecuador is famous for bananas: there are several types of them, they are used green, ripe and overripe, they are fried, they are used to make dough and chips. But banana is not the only fruit worth trying, but just one of many. Here is a list of the exotic that is in Ecuador:

• Granadia(Granadilla)
• Naranjiya(Naranjilla)
• Guanabana(Guanábana)
• Physalis(Uvilla)
• Tacho(Taxo)
• Tamariyo(Tamarillo)
• Chirimoya(Chirimoya)
• Woodytomato(Tomate de arbo)

There are also more familiar coconut, mango and passion fruit. Juices are made from almost all fruits, and exotic sorbet can be chosen in an ice cream parlor.

Sweet

Despite the fact that Ecuadorian cuisine is very satisfying, and a full lunch consists of an appetizer, soup, meat / fish with salad and two side dishes, there are desserts on the menu.

If there is room left after lunch, try:

• Figs in sugar syrup(Dulce de higos) - served with curd cheese, very sweet and delicious.
• Cake "Three Milk"(Pastel de Tres Leches) - the most delicate cake made of condensed and powdered milk, covered with milk cream, usually served cold.
• Coconut flan(Flan de coco). It's also creamy caramel, but in a South American way - made from coconut and sweet orange sauce.

Beverages

The variety of fresh fruits makes fresh juices popular - they are cheap here, made from exotic ingredients. The locals usually drink beer, it is considered one of the best in Latin America. Strong alcohol, like everywhere else, specialty is seventy-degree vodka from the Ayaguasca jungle, but it is not so easy to find: the drink is used by shamans for rituals.

Coffee grows in Ecuador, but it is not the most popular drink here, although it is included in the menu of every cafe-restaurant. Tea is also not in use, herbal infusions are more common - for example, from lemongrass.

Top 5

A list of iconic Ecuadorian dishes you must try.

1. Ceviche- cold seafood soup. In the classic version - with shrimps.
2. Lockro- thick and hearty potato-cheese soup with half a ripe avocado
3. Snacks- mote, choclo and chicharron, which are brought without demand before the main course.
4. Exoticfresh... Granadiya, naranjia, guanabana, uviya or woody tomato - you just have to choose.
5. Figs in sugar syrup- the perfect combination of sugary syrup, crunchy bones of ripe figs and delicate curd cheese.

Food prices

Ecuador is inexpensive and the cheapest is street food. Empanadas, grilled meat or corn costs 1-2 USD. Lunch in a cafe: soup, meat or fish with fresh vegetables and rice and fresh juice - 2-3 USD. Dinner at a restaurant in the tourist area - 5-15 USD. Local beer - 1 USD, cocktail at the bar - 2-5 USD.

Where to buy groceries

There are several markets in there. Mercado San Francisco is the oldest. They sell fruits and vegetables, snacks: chicharron, tostado and mote. You can also try traditional cuisine.

Quality local produce is also available in supermarkets. The largest and most popular chain is Supermaxi.

Where to dine

There are many places in Quito where traditional food is prepared. In the capital, you can also find coastal dishes - ceviche, shrimp, sea bass, and mountain Indian cuisine - locro, seco de chivo, fritada, and what is cooked in the jungle - yucca bread, fried river fish.

Here are some places to go:

• ¡Hasta la Vuelta !, Señor- a restaurant in the heart of the city next to the Plaza Grande. There is a cozy patio courtyard. Always crowded.

• Vista Hermosa- behind an unobvious entrance hides a restaurant with a panoramic view of the city.

• Restaurants in the Kumbaya area: Al Forno, El Chacal and others. Kumbaya is a trendy suburb area. In a non-touristy place away from the center, you can immerse yourself in the lives of local youth, go to a bar and taste international cuisine with an Ecuadorian twist.

If you travel from the capital to other areas, then try the local cuisine. And certainly - street food, it has all the Ecuadorian gastronomic flavor.

The best of Ecuadorian cuisine

So, Ecuadorian cuisine is seafood on the coast and meat in the mountains, it's generous portions and included snacks. But the most important thing to know about Ecuadorian cuisine is soups and exotic fruits. If you suddenly find yourself in Quito for only one day, try locro - potato soup with cheese and avocado at a local eatery, and then go to the market and choose any fruit at random: you may never hear its name again, but remember the unusual taste for sure ...

Ecuadorian cuisine has inherited many features of the culinary traditions of the numerous Native American peoples who inhabited this area before the arrival of Europeans. Moreover, the Spanish influence characteristic of all the countries of the region is seen here, perhaps, much less than in neighboring countries. Ecuadorians continue to have a higher preference for soups and stews, various dishes made from cereals, rice, eggs and vegetables. And potatoes and other "European" side dishes are gladly replaced by fried bananas, yuca, cassava and other fruits of the local flora.

Soups are without doubt the brightest part of Ecuadorian cuisine. There are a lot of them here, and for the most part, the recipe for local soups is entirely built on the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors. Typically the most popular dishes are locro soup with cheese, avocado and potatoes, caldo de galina chicken soup, fish and vegetable chupe de pescado, and various exotic dishes such as potato soup. jaguarlocro "with blood," caldo de mangera soup from bovine genitals, or "caldo de pata" broth, delicious for the locals, with fried veal hooves.

Meat in the diet of local residents is becoming more and more, therefore, for this, previously very rare product in the local diet, mostly Spanish recipes are used. Although the influence of Indian cultures is noticeable here too - it is worth trying the famous national delicacy "Kui" (fried meat of a guinea pig, better known in our country as "guinea pig"), roast suckling pig "lechon", "guatita" - an Ecuadorian dish made from fried in tripe peanut butter (mondongo) with spices, potatoes and fried green bananas (patacones), lard-fried fritada pork, chornado baked pork, lomo steak and beef steak with onions and lomo tomatoes -saltado ", stewed with rice and avocado chicken" seco de polio ", whole fried or stewed carcass of a goat" seco de chivo "and others. At the same time, tacos "de-mais", fried corn "Kangil" or fried green bananas of a special variety "patacones" with salt or "chifles" (thinner slices of bananas, prepared according to the same recipe) are usually served. Also, rice, potatoes, yams, cassava and other root vegetables are widely used as a side dish. On the coast and in the Amazon, potatoes are often replaced by "minestra" (beans or lentils) or yucca. But all this is usually sprinkled with the local hot sauce "aji", the options of which are more than two hundred.

Ceviche (fish and seafood) is another type of cuisine in which Ecuadorians have reached great heights of excellence. Here, even far in the mountains, you can always find excellent restaurants with seafood, and in each area even widespread dishes are prepared with their own flavor added to the recipe. The classic ceviche is made by marinating raw seafood in lime juice and hot peppers and served with raw onions and various side dishes. On the north coast, for example, you can taste delicious "encosados" fish dishes with a sauce of coconut milk, tomato and garlic, served with a huge mountain of rice or popcorn. In the southern part of the coast, the seafood soup "levanta muerto", the spicy seafood soup "supe de mariscos" and all kinds of sea bass "sorvina" deserve attention. Moreover, "ceviche" can be prepared both from fish ("de pescado"), and shrimp ("de camarones"), shellfish ("de concha"), squid ("de calmari"), or all together (" mixed ").

The jungle supplies Ecuadorians with a wide variety of fruits, including exotic fruits such as chirimoya (tastes like custard), mami with a meat-like heart, or the striped cucumber-like pepinos. Accordingly, fruit juices "hugos" enjoy great attention. Juices can be either freshly squeezed ("puro") or mixed with water or milk ("batidos") and are excellent thirst quenchers. Only in Ecuador can you taste the unique fruit juice "Naranilla", which is something between citrus and peach. For sweet dishes, humitas sweet corn, delectable sweet biscuits, and empanadas are worth noticing.

Inhabited by a huge number of local tribes, Oriente has a very diverse, albeit somewhat rustic, cuisine, the main products of which are yuka, rice, bananas, a huge amount of river fish (including the famous piranha) and a variety of game, ranging from wild pigs to large rodents "guanta".

Despite the fact that Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of coffee in the world, for some reason this drink itself is of very low quality, regardless of the level of the establishment. Tea ("te") is drunk without milk and usually with a slice of lemon. Herbal teas ("aromatikas" or "mate") are among the favorite drinks of the local population, and the variety of aromas and recipes used here to prepare these drinks is simply amazing.

Ecuador is famous for its beer, which is among the best in South America. The most popular brand is Pilsner, but Club and Biela are also good. Ecuadorian wines are still extremely rare, but first-class Chilean and Argentine wines (very cheap, by the way) can be found everywhere. Imported alcoholic beverages are also readily available but relatively expensive. Traditional local drinks include the famous "pisco" or the more democratic "canelazo" ("canelito") made from sugar cane, lemon, sugar and cinnamon. Also, in many establishments, especially in the Sierra, you can find an unusual alcoholic drink "chicha", which is a specially fermented infusion of yucca (a very specific drink, it should be noted). Aguardiente (cana or punta) is another local drink that most closely resembles a very strong rum. It is often blended with fruit juices, sugar, cinnamon ("cannella") and hot water to create a warming drink especially popular in the highlands. Also in Ecuador, rum is made, not of the best quality, but very cheap.