Food
Ecuador is known for its fabulous exotic fruits, high quality fish and seafood, and the countless varieties of Andean potatoes. Across the country you'll find a broad spectrum of national and regional dishes, including lemon-marinated shrimp, toasted corn, and pastries stuffed with spiced meats.
The regular diet of rice, potatoes, and meat (beef and chicken everywhere, pork in the Highlands) is complimented by another national culinary institution, aji (hot sauce). Most Ecuadorian restaurants and homes have their own version of aji, each with its own intensity of "picante" (a word derived from the verb to bite or to sting), so sample a bit before smothering your food. On the coast and in the Amazon, potatoes are often supplemented or replaced by menestra (beans or lentils) or yuca. Other dishes include: seco de pollo (stewed chicken accompanied by rice and avocado slices); lomo salteado (thin beef steak covered with onions and tomatoes); and seco de chivo (goat stew served with a mound of rice. Tortillas de maiz (thin corn pancakes) and choclo (barbecued Andean corn) are sold by street vendors and make great snacks any time of day.
Ceviche de Camaron
Ceviche is common in the central part of the Americas from Mexico to Ecuador. Ceviche de Camarones is shrimp that is literally cooked in lemon juice without actually cooking it in terms of using an actual heat source. Although many countries usually serve this dish with fish, the shrimp version is quite popular in Ecuador. This tart dish is usually made with onions and parsley.
Fanesca
A soup made of grains, legumes, cereals, and fish. The number of grains and legumes we use to cook this soup varies according to the house where it is made, but there are 36 main grains like beans, lima beans, peas, and cereals like corn, barley, and chocho.
Encoca'o
Several dishes are called encoca'o (really it's encocado or cocunuted, but this is a dish from Esmeraldas, where local people talk that way and now every one calls it encoca'o), there are encoca'o 'e pescado (fish), Encoca'o de camaron (shrimp) , Encoca'o 'e Guariche (Red mangrove crab, called Guariche in Esmeraldas), Encoca'o 'e Jaiba (blue crab callinectes), and the best "Encoca'o 'e cangrejo" (Blue mangrove crab, found only in Esmeraldas). It's a dish made with coconut sauce, really good.
Aguardiente
A simple drink composed of sugarcane juice. A very refreshing drink that is quite popular among workers. The sugar content is about the same as most fruit juices.