Ecuadorian cuisine is similar to Peruvian and Colombian, in it you can find similarities with the cuisine of Argentina and, but it is probably the only one so strongly reminiscent of 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 from which I began my acquaintance with South America.

Reading about the history of the continent after the trip, 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, authentic Ecuadorian cuisine has been preserved, and now, when tasting local dishes, one 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) - the Amazon jungle, where the Indians walk in leaf skirts, as in an encyclopedia of races and ethnic groups.
• The mountains(Sierra) - Andes, where many volcanoes are active and the Indians wear hats.
• Coast(Costa) - Pacific Ocean, beaches and palm trees.
• Galapagos Islands- Darwin nature reserve, inhabited by many unique species.

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

Snacks

For example, you flew to. You went to eat at a restaurant. We ordered a dish - on the advice of a local or by spontaneously sliding your finger along the menu lines. Waiting for the order to arrive. But instead of the desired one, a plate with unidentified white cereals mixed with brown pieces of unknown origin and a plate with red nuts that look like acorns appears on the table. You are at a loss. The waiter calmly leaves. There is nothing to do - local cuisine, we try and study.

Hints:

• Mote(Mote) is a special kind of local corn. White color and neutral taste. It is usually boiled and served as a snack. This is the very mysterious white cereal on your plate.
• Chicharron(Chicharrón) - small pieces of meat, salted and deep fried. They are served before the main course, often mixed with mote. Grilled meat is the best snack, according to the Ecuadorians.
• choklo(Choclo) - dried and roasted corn. What at first could be mistaken for nuts or acorns.

Basic starters are often served without order, especially in simple village restaurants. Most often they are included in the bill. But there are snacks that require a special order:

• Chifles(Chifles) - Chips made from fried green bananas.
• Empanadas(Empanadas) - fried or baked pies made of thin dough, shaped like dumplings. There are many filling options: meat, beans, cheese, vegetables, fruits.
• Patacones(Patacones) - tortillas made from fried ripe bananas.
• Yapingachos(Llapingachos) - potato pancakes.
• Yucca bread(Pan de yuca) - cakes made from a root vegetable growing in the jungle. Excursions to the Indian tribes often include an attraction - the production of cakes under the guidance of locals. For example, I myself uprooted the yucca, rubbed it on a large grater, molded the dough and fried it on a fire. The taste of bread is quite bland, but cooked with soul.

Main dishes: fish and meat

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

If you are going 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- big.

If you are going to the mountains or choosing a dish from the “Carnes” (meat) section, then these are:

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

Side dishes and sauces

When ordering meat or fish, be aware that the generous Ecuadorians will accompany them with a side dish and not even one. A large plate with an impressive portion of the main course includes fresh vegetables, rice, avocados, 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 definitely won't leave hungry.

As for sauces, they are not very common here. Is that in every cafe and restaurant on the table is ahi(Ajì) is a very spicy sauce made from the eponymous variety of pepper. It is added to soups or rice.

Soups

What unites Latin American and Russian cuisine is the popularity of soups. If you have an impressive gastronomic experience and can fit 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 the heat, popular in the Galapagos and along the coast. Sometimes it is served not as a soup, but as an appetizer, that is, without broth.
• Locro(Locro) - hot potato soup with cheese and avocado. Very filling, 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 dash of ahi sauce.
• Esneboyado(Encebollado) - fish soup with onions. In the classic recipe, tuna, yucca, tomatoes and onions are required. The dish is universal: it is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning, soup is popular as a hangover cure.

Fruit

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

• Granadilla(Granadilla)
• Naranhiya(Naranjilla)
• Guanabana(Guanabana)
• Physalis(Uvilla)
• Tacho(taxo)
• Tamariyo(Tamarillo)
• Chirimoya(Chirimoya)
• Woodytomato(Tomate de arbo)

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

Sweet

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

If there is space left after lunch, try:

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

The drinks

A variety of fresh fruits makes fresh juices popular - they are cheap here, made from exotic ingredients. Locals usually drink beer, it is considered one of the best in Latin America. Strong alcohol as everywhere, specialty is 70% 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 that you must try.

1. ceviche- cold seafood soup. In the classic version - with shrimp.
2. Locro- thick and hearty potato and cheese soup with half a ripe avocado
3. Snacks- mote, choclo and chicharron, which are brought before the main course without asking.
4. exoticfresh juices. Granadilla, naranchia, guanabana, uvia or woody tomato - you just have to choose.
5. Figs in sugar syrup- the perfect combination of sugary syrup, crispy pitted ripe figs and tender curd cheese.

Food prices

Ecuador is inexpensive, and the cheapest is street food. Empanadas, fried meat or corn cost 1-2 USD. Lunch in a cafe: soup, meat or fish with fresh vegetables and rice and freshly squeezed juice - 2-3 USD. Dinner at a restaurant in a 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. Mercado San Francisco is the oldest. They sell fruits and vegetables, snacks: chicharron, tostado and mote. You can also try traditional cuisine.

Quality local products are also available in supermarkets. The largest and most popular network is Supermaxi.

Where to have dinner

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 a few places worth visiting:

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

• Vista Hermosa- Behind the non-obvious entrance is a restaurant with a panoramic view of the city.

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

If you travel from the capital to other areas, then try the local cuisine. And of course - 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, these are generous portions and appetizers included in the bill. But the most important things to know about Ecuadorian cuisine are soups and exotic fruits. If you happen to be in Quito for just one day, try locro - potato soup with cheese and avocado at a local diner, and then go to the market and choose any fruit at random: you may never hear its name again, but you will definitely remember the unusual taste .

Ecuadorian cuisine has inherited many features of the culinary traditions of numerous Indian peoples who inhabited this territory before the arrival of Europeans. Moreover, the Spanish influence, characteristic of all countries in the region, is seen here, perhaps much less than in neighboring countries. Ecuadorians still prefer soups and stews, various dishes made from grains, rice, eggs and vegetables. And potatoes and other "European" side dishes are gladly replaced with fried bananas, yuca, cassava and other fruits of the local flora.

Soups are without a doubt the most colorful part of Ecuadorian cuisine. There are a huge number of them here, and for the most part, the recipe of local soups is entirely built on the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors. Usually the most popular dishes are locro soup with cheese, avocado and potatoes, chicken caldo de gallina soup, fish and vegetable chupe de pescado, as well as various exotic dishes like potato soup " jaguarlocro" with blood, caldo de mangera soup from bull genitals or "caldo de pata" broth, delicacy for locals, with fried calf hooves.

There is more and more meat in the diet of local residents, therefore, for this product, which was previously very rare 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 "cuy" (fried meat of Guinean pig, we are better known as "guinea pig"), roast suckling pig "lechon", "guatita" - an Ecuadorian dish of fried in peanut butter tripe ("mondongo") with spices, potatoes and fried green bananas ("patacones"), fried pork "fritada" in lard, baked pork "hornado", lomo steak and beef steak with onions and tomatoes "lomo" -saltado", stewed with rice and avocado chicken "seco de pollo", whole fried or stewed goat carcass "seco de chivo" and others. At the same time, tortillas "de-mais", fried corn "cangil" or fried green bananas of a special variety "patacones" with salt or "chifles" (thinner slices of bananas, cooked according to the same recipe) are usually served at the table. Rice, potatoes, yams, cassava and other root vegetables are also widely used as a side dish. On the coast and in the Amazon, the potato is often replaced by "menestra" (beans or lentils) or yuca. But all this is usually poured over with a local hot aji sauce, of which there are more than two hundred variants.

"Ceviche" (fish and seafood) is another type of cuisine in which the Ecuadorians have reached great heights of skill. Here, even far away in the mountains, you can always find excellent restaurants with seafood cuisine, and in each locality, even widespread dishes are prepared with their own flavor added to the recipe. The classic "ceviche" is prepared by marinating raw seafood in lime juice and hot peppers, and serving with raw onions and various side dishes. On the north coast, for example, gourmet encosados ​​fish dishes with a sauce of coconut milk, tomatoes and garlic, served with a huge mountain of rice or fried corn. 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 from both fish ("de pescado"), and shrimp ("de camarones"), shellfish ("de concha"), squid ("de squid") or all together (" mixed").

The jungle supplies Ecuadorians with an abundance of fruits, including exotic fruits such as chirimoya (custard-like), mami, with a meat-like core, or the pepinos, which looks 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 perfectly quench your thirst. Only in Ecuador you can taste the unique fruit juice "Naranilla", which is something between citrus and peach. Of the sweet dishes, sweet corn "humitas", delicious sweet biscuits and empanadas deserve attention.

The Oriente, inhabited by a huge number of local tribes, has a very varied, if 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, this drink itself is for some reason 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 ("aromaticas" or "mate") are among the favorite drinks of the local population, and the variety of flavors 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 Argentinean wines (very cheap, by the way) can be found everywhere. Imported alcoholic drinks are also commonly available, but relatively expensive. Traditional local drinks include the famous "pisco" or 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 of all resembles a very strong rum. It is often mixed with fruit juices, sugar, cinnamon ("canella") and hot water to form a warming drink especially popular in the highlands. Also in Ecuador they make rum, not of the best quality, but very cheap.

The cuisine of Ecuador is the heritage of the 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 from vegetables, eggs, cereals and rice. Soups and stews, cassava, fried bananas and yucca are also common here.

Soups are an indispensable attribute of any table. Most modern recipes are based on Indian ones. The most common soups are Lokro, which includes potatoes, cheese and avocado; chicken soup "Caldo de gallina" of vegetables and fish. In addition, exotic dishes are very common: Caldo de Pata broth made from fried calf hooves, Jaguarlocro potato soup, in the consistency of which there is blood.

One of the national delicacies is the Kuy dish of fried guinea pig meat, Lechon is a roast suckling pig, Guatita is a national treat of 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 "De-mais" from tortillas are served at the table, "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. Potatoes can sometimes be replaced with "Menestra" - from lentils or beans - or yuca. All these dishes are served with Aji national hot sauce.

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. 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 unique Encosados ​​fish dishes with tomatoes, garlic and coconut milk sauce on the table. They are served with lots of rice or fried corn.

In the local jungle you can find a wide variety of exotic fruits, 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, locally called "Naranilla", which is approximately the middle between peach and citrus.

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

Ecuador education

Hotels in Ecuador

Traditional Ecuadorian cuisine literally amaze the imagination with their diversity, unusualness, magnificent exquisite taste. This cuisine is deservedly considered one of the most delicious in the world. In general, Ecuador is the only Latin American country that has managed to most fully preserve the culinary traditions of the Indian peoples who inhabited the country's territory before the introduction of Europeans here. Ecuadorians, like hundreds of years ago, prefer various soups, seafood dishes, all kinds of side dishes from rice, cereals, vegetables and eggs. Various "European" side dishes and potatoes are successfully replaced with fried bananas, yucca, cassava and other fruits of the local flora in all sorts of variations and guises. In addition to the fact that the cuisine of Ecuador is distinguished by its originality and sophistication, local chefs are distinguished by their amazing skill in the original design of dishes.
The most striking component of the national cuisine are, of course, soups. It is all kinds of soups that occupy a special place in the cooking of Ecuadorians. For the most part, the recipe for local soups is based on centuries-old Indian traditions.
Perhaps the most popular soup in Ecuador is the potato Locro de papas, which is cooked with maize grains and peas, and served with grated cheese and avocado.

Recipes of Ecuadorian cuisine. Dishes for the holidays. National New Year's recipes.

First meal:

• Soup with corn dumplings / Sopa de bolas de maiz
• Leg broth / Caldo de patas de res
• Chupe shrimp soup / Chupe de camarones

Main dishes:

• Fish Sancocho / Sancocho de pescado
• Cariucho / Cariucho
• Ripe banana empanadas / Empanadas de maduro
• Yucca tamales / Tamales de yuca
• Stuffed pork rolls / Carne mechada
• Braised tongue / Lengua guisada
• Dried goat meat / Seco de chivo
• Potato locro / Locro de papas
• Chiguiles / Chiguiles
• Ripe bananas (maduro) with cheese / Maduros con queso
• Banana cake / Torta de platano
• Salpicon de mariscos / Salpicon de mariscos
• Shrimp rice / Arroz con camaroones
• Shrimp ceviche / Ceviche de camarones
• Corviche / Corviche
• Pirate Chicken

National drinks:

• Aguardiente - "fire water"

Very popular dishes are chicken soup "caldo de gallina", "chupe de pescado" - fish soup with vegetables, "sancocho" - fish soup with banana and yucca. In general, the most popular are soups made from mashed green bananas, corn cobs, as well as from fish and seafood.

Features of the life of the indigenous population of the country, of course, affected the composition of traditional dishes, so various exotic dishes are popular in the national cuisine of the country: potato soup with jaguarlocro blood, caldo de mangera - a soup made from bull genitals, and also the delicacy caldo de pata broth with fried calf hooves. One of the most exotic national dishes is the fried guinea pig "cuy", which is usually served in the mountainous regions of Ecuador.

In any, even a tiny restaurant, you will be offered the traditional ceviche dish - a complex dish made from fresh seafood marinated in lime juice with
adding hot pepper; the most popular dish is "patacón" - fried bananas and "cangrejada" - 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 pile of rice or fried corn. On the southern part of the Ecuadorian coast, spicy seafood soup "levanta muerto" and all kinds of dishes from sea bass "sorvina" are very popular.
Salmon con velduras (salmon stewed with vegetables), aros marineros (rice with seafood) and trocha (river trout) are also loved and popular among fish dishes.

The amount of meat is increasing in the cooking of local residents, so meat dishes, which used to be a very rare product in the Indian diet, are prepared mostly according to Spanish recipes. However, traditional Indian meat dishes have also been preserved: it is worth trying "lechon" - a roast made from tender suckling pig; "guatita" - a dish of tripe (cow's stomach) in peanut sauce and potatoes; "mondongo" - cow tripe soup with spices; "patacones" - fried unsweetened green bananas with guacamole; "fritada" - fried pork with onions and garlic; "hornado" - baked pork; beef steak "lomo", fried steak with onions and tomatoes "lomo-saltado", "seco-de-pollo" - chicken stew with rice and avocado garnish; "churasko" - scrambled eggs, cooked in the form of a steak on the coals, served with rice, fried banana and vegetable salad; "seco de chivo" - a whole fried lamb or goat carcass with peanut sauce, etc. Instead of the usual bread for us, meat is served with special maize cakes "De maiz", roasted corn "kangil", the most popular dish "patacones"— green bananas of a special variety, fried in oil, or "chifles" - a kind of banana chips. As a side dish in the gastronomy of Ecuador, potatoes, rice, cassava, yam tubers and other root crops are used. In coastal areas and often used beans, lentils and yucca, which are abundantly poured with aji sauce, usually made from tree tomatoes, onions, garlic and lemon juice, although there are more than 200 versions of this sauce popular in Ecuadorian cuisine.

Surprisingly, in a country where coffee is grown, this drink is not very popular, and tea from a tea leaf that is familiar to us is rare at all, here they often drink Aromatica or Mate herbal teas from all kinds of local herbs and flowers. Such teas are among the most beloved drinks of Ecuadorians, while the variety of flavors and recipes for preparing these delicious drinks is amazing.

And for lovers of fruit juices, Ecuador is a true paradise! The jungle provides Ecuadorians with an abundance of fruit, including exotic fruits such as the chirimoya, which has a delicious custard-like flavor, the mami, which has a meat-like core, or the pepinos, which looks like a striped cucumber. Hugos fruit juices are also very popular. Juices can be freshly squeezed or mixed with milk or water "batidos" - both perfectly quench your thirst. Most often, all kinds of “juice products” are consumed here, when fruits and berries are ground in a blender with water. As an exotic, it is worth trying the juice of tree tomatoes "tomates de arbo" here. Only in Ecuador it is possible to enjoy the juice of naranjilla - the "golden fruit of the Andes" with the taste of pineapple, strawberries and passion fruit at the same time.

For dessert, in addition to a rich variety of tropical fruits, you will be offered local
yogoso ice cream, humitas corn and amazingly delicious cookies!
Ecuador is famous for its beer, by the way, Ecuadorian beer is considered one of the best on the South American continent. The most popular brands are Pilsner, Belle and Club.
Of the stronger drinks, it is worth tasting the aguardiente cane vodka, a local drink that strongly resembles strong rum. It is often mixed with fruit juices, sugar, and cinnamon to make a warming drink that is especially popular in the highlands of the country. Corn "chicha" is also popular.
The traditional drinks of Ecuadorian cuisine include the famous elite "pisco" made from muscat grapes or "canelazo" - a more democratic drink made from sugar cane, lemon, cinnamon and sugar.