Ecuador Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Cuisine=== {{see also|List of Ecuadorian dishes and foods}} {{multiple image | align = right | image1 = Ceviche_de_camarón_(gastronomía_Ecuatoriana).jpg | width1 = 150 | alt1 = | caption1 = | image2 = Cuy Guinea Pig Dish SG.jpg | width2 = 154 | alt2 = | caption2 = | footer = ''Ceviche ecuatoriano'' (Ecuadorian-style [[ceviche]]) and ''Cuy asado'' (grilled [[guinea pig]]) are some of the typical dishes. }} [[Ecuadorian cuisine]] is diverse, varying with the altitude, associated agricultural conditions, and ethnic / racial communities. Most regions in Ecuador follow the traditional three-course meal of soup, a course that includes rice and a protein, and then dessert and coffee to finish. In the coastal region, seafood is very popular, with fish, shrimp, and ''[[ceviche]]'' being an integral part of the diet. Beef is also notably consumed in the coastal region, traditional dishes are [[churrasco]] and arroz con menestra y carne asada (rice with beans and grilled beef) served with [[Tostones|fried plantain]]. The latter is an emblematic dish of the city of [[Guayaquil]]. Meat based dishes have their origins in the cattle ranching culture of the [[Montubio]] people. [[Ceviche]] is an indispensable coastal dish with pre-incan origins. It is often served with fried plantain ([[chifle]]s or patacones), popcorn, or [[tostada (tortilla)|tostado]]. [[Plantain (cooking)|Plantain]]- and peanut-based dishes are quite frequent in the coastal region reflecting the West African roots of many of its citizens. Encocados (dishes that contain a coconut sauce) are also very popular in the northern coast centering around the city of [[Esmeraldas, Ecuador|Esmeraldas]]. The coast is also a leading producer of [[banana]]s, [[cocoa bean]]s (to make chocolate), shrimp, [[tilapia]], [[mango]], and [[Passiflora edulis|passion fruit]], among other products.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} [[Pan de yuca]], analogous with the Brazilian [[pão de queijo]], is served with "yogur persa" and is often eaten as a snack in many coastal cities. Its origin comes from the Persian and Middle Eastern populations that settled the coast.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://emprendimientoshoy.com/comida-y-bebida/yogurt-persa-de-ecuador-a-argentina-y-latinoamerica/ | title=Yogurt Persa: De Ecuador a Argentina y Latinoamérica | date=August 2021 | access-date=19 March 2023 | archive-date=25 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325202523/https://emprendimientoshoy.com/comida-y-bebida/yogurt-persa-de-ecuador-a-argentina-y-latinoamerica/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In the highland region, various dishes of pork, chicken, and ''cuy'' (guinea pig)<ref>(Perez, M. (2019) Eat Like a Local – Ecuador, CZYK Publishing, p. 24, {{ISBN|9798607903664}})</ref> are popular and are served with a variety of grains (especially rice and [[Mote (food)|mote]]) or potatoes.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Duarte-Casar |first1=Rodrigo |last2=Robalino-Vallejo |first2=Jessica |last3=Buzetta-Ricaurte |first3=María Fernanda |last4=Rojas-Le-Fort |first4=Marlene |date=12 May 2022 |title=Toward a characterization of Ecuadorian ceviche: much more than shrimp |journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=16 |doi=10.1186/s42779-022-00131-w |s2cid=248725703 |issn=2352-6181|doi-access=free }}</ref> The consumption of "Cuy" or [[Guinea Pig]], de rigueur in mostly indigenous communities, reflects the predominantly native character of the highlands. Considered a delicacy it is often characterized as having a mild pork flavor. In the Amazon region, a dietary staple is the ''yuca'', elsewhere called [[cassava]]. Many fruits are available in this region, including [[banana]]s, [[Cyphostemma juttae|tree grapes]], and [[Bactris gasipaes|peach palm]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ecuador's Exports – Fruit Galore|url=https://www.ecuador.com/blog/ecuadors-exports-fruit-galore/|access-date=22 April 2021|website=Ecuador.com|language=en-US|archive-date=22 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422235059/https://www.ecuador.com/blog/ecuadors-exports-fruit-galore/|url-status=live}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page