The Many Delicious Foods of Ecuador

Throughout this past six months, I have had the opportunity to taste some of the most delicious foods Ecuador has to offer!  Coastal food are typically fish or seafood, plantain, and yucca based dishes while the highlands offer more dishes with potatoes, grains, and meat.  One of my students here in Guayaquil once told me "I just can't eat bread.  It tastes so weird to me."  After my time here on the coast, my palate feels just like my students, a bit weird to the taste of bread. Below is a list of the many delicious foods of Ecuador, mainly from the Coast and Amazon Region.   

Encocados de Cangrejo; Crab in Coconut Sauce (Esmeraldas)

Encocados de Camaron; Shrimp in Coconut Sauce (Esmeraldas)

Encebollado; a Ceviche type soup prepared with fish, onions, tomato, cilantro, and yucca. It is served with a bag of chifles, ahi spice, mustard, oil, and other sauces to place on top. Typically a breakfast food on the coast. (Esmeraldas) 

Maito; a fish, typically tilapia, grilled in a leaf commonly eaten in the Amazon region. (Lago Agrio)

Pinchos de Mayon; grilled worms on a stick. Very common in the Amazon region and also in Santo Domingo. (Lago Agrio)

Fanesca; a soup made from twelve grains and served with empanadas, boiled egg, bacalao fish, and plantains. Consumed during the Catholic holy week, Semana Santa, in April. (Tumbaco)

Bolon; this is my version of the fried plantain balls common on the coastal region of Ecuador. They are often served as a breakfast food called Tigrillo with a runny egg on top. (Guayaquil)

Cazuela mixto: This is hands down one of the most delicious dishes offered on the coast. It is made with green platains as the base and served either with mixed seafood (octopus, shrimp, fish, and clams) just shrimp or fish. (Salinas)