Nikkilude #4: Ecuadorian food specialties

I’m still learning the names of a lot of food and being a vegetarian means I’m not going know how a lot of them taste, but here are a few dishes or otherwise uniquely Ecuadorian foods that I’ve tried or noticed.

1.       Locro—this beautiful soup is a rich, creamy cheesy potato soup, usually garnished with tomatoes and avocadoes. It is delicious. You will fall in love with every bite.

2.      Horchata—stop right now thinking you already know what it is. It’s not the sweet, rich white Mexican drink you’re thinking of that Kearns sells right next to their nectar. It’s an herbal tea that is especially popular in Loja, where they are famous for it. It is slightly sweet naturally, but usually flavored with sugar and lime. It is the color of beets and is divine.

3.      Ceviche—quite frankly, I’m not really a ceviche fan because even when I did eat meat, seafood wasn’t really my thing. But that’s probably also because I don’t live directly on the coast. Essentially the seafood is still raw-rare and marinated with lime juice and garnished with a variety of things, depending on the local offerings and tradition. But ceviche comes in a lot of different forms, so it’s hard to pin it down, especially since I’m not even eating it!

4.      Cuy—this is guinea pig. For some, it’s sad and cruel because they consider the guinea pig to be a pet and therefore how could it be a local specialty?! I know I’m a vegetarian, but at the same time, I really think the line between edible and inedible animals is not only totally arbitrary but unnecessarily judgmental when used against other cultures. They’re easy to raise, small and provide a good source of protein—why wouldn’t you eat it? So chew on that the next time you think you’re taking the high road eating a good burger. And speaking of chewing, apparently the guinea pig is pretty crispy but chewy and kinda goes along the “tastes like chicken” lines.

5.      Mote—this is a puffed white corn that we call hominy. It comes in various different forms and can be served cob style or perhaps mixed with eggs. It’s ubiquitous and definitely a staple.

6.      Tree tomato—I think I might have explained these, but they are similar in texture (but not flavor) to a tomato. They are a bright yellow-orange inside and are quite tart by themselves. Mixed into a smoothie, however, they are to die for.

7.      Canelazo—again, I’ve already mentioned this, but it is a famous Ecuadorian alcoholic drink. It has naranjilla juice with cinnamon and is warmed up. It warms your tummy, especially when you drink it with friends :)

Ok that’s not too much, but that’s all for now. More to come!