Ceviche
Ceviche, a cold soup made with shrimp, fish or other seafood, is common in many South American countries. Ecuadorian ceviche is made with tomatoes, lemon and orange juice, cilantro and hot peppers.The end result is a spicy, tasty, refreshing meal usually eaten on weekends or special occasions for lunch. Although the coast is considered to have the best ceviche, you can get it all over Ecuador. Some restaurants even specialize in it.
If you want to try ceviche but don’t like or can’t eat seafood or shellfish, you can often get it made with palm hearts, which come from palm trees and are white, fairly tasteless and have the approximate consistency of cheese. Ecuadorians believe that eating ceviche will help cure a hangover. Ceviche can differ from country to country in Latin America: this recipe for Yucatecan ceviche is very similar to Ecuadorian-style ceviche.
Locro
Locro is a thick, hearty potato soup. It is made from a special Ecuadorian potato ("papa chola") and has a distinctive yellow color. When cooked properly, the end result is very substantial and chunky, with a consistency North Americans might associate with chowder or even gravy. Ecuadorians generally like their locro with little bits of cheese and avocado in it. Although standard potatoes won’t work as well, here is one good recipe for locro.
Quinoa Soup
Quinoa is a special grain that is only grown at high altitudes. As such, it has been a staple of the Andean diet for centuries. In Ecuador, quinoa soup is made in many different ways, but in general it features bits of quinoa (which resemble small, semi-circular white squiggles), some vegetables (usually potatoes) and perhaps bits of chicken or beef. Vegetarian quinoa soup is also very good. Check out these three Quinoa Recipes from Ecuador.
Caldo de Pata
Caldo de pata, which literally translates to "foot soup," is another Ecuadorian favorite. The central ingredient is the foot of a cow or bull. It is cooked in a pressure cooker to soften it up, and then the soup is made with onions, corn, ground peanuts, milk and some spices. The end result is creamy, thick and quite tasty if you can get over the idea that you're eating a cow foot!
Encebollado
A specialty of the coast, encebollado (roughly translates to “with onions”) is a thick stew made mostly of fish (generally albacore) and onions. It is very hearty and has an incredibly strong taste. It’s popular with Ecuadorians but you won’t find it at restaurants popular with tourists: it’s a little bit stinky and unappetizing-looking for all but the boldest visitors, and truth be told, it is something of an acquired taste. Like ceviche, it is reputed to be good for those suffering from a hangover.
