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OUR INGREDIENTS
Plantains
(Green & Ripe):
Green plantains, called patacones, are twice-fried and sprinkled with salt, whilst yellow plantains (called maduros) are ripe plantains that are sweet and mushy and often seen as a dessert.
Plantain chips or chifle make for a great light snack or side, whilst maduro con queso features a whole plantain that is split open and stuffed with cheese, then barbecued. Used in bolón de verde, patacones, chifles, and maduros con queso .
Corn ("Mote, choclo")
Featured in mote pillo, humitas, and llapingachos . : Mote is peeled, boiled white corn—soft, starchy, and subtly sweet. It’s a foundational ingredient in Ecuadorian highland cuisine, prized for its versatility and comforting texture. Unlike fresh corn, mote is dried and rehydrated, then cooked until tender, often served whole or mashed. Mote is more than a side dish—it’s a symbol of ancestral sustenance. Indigenous communities have cultivated and consumed mote for centuries, and it remains central to traditional dishes like mote pillo (sautéed with eggs and scallions), fritada con mote, and caldo de patas. Its presence on the plate evokes rural heritage, communal cooking, and the enduring role of corn in Andean identity.
Yuca (Cassava)
Boiled, fried, or mashed; essential in soups like encebollado. Yuca is a cornerstone of Ecuador’s Amazonian and coastal cuisines, deeply tied to Indigenous traditions. Yuca is a starchy root vegetable known for its firm texture and mild, nutty flavor. In the Oriente, it’s a daily staple—used in maito, chicha de yuca, and caldo de bagre. Along the coast, it complements seafood and meats, often replacing potatoes or rice. Its resilience in tropical climates and nutritional value make it a symbol of sustenance and adaptability.
aji peppers
Ají refers to a variety of native chili peppers used throughout Ecuador, ranging from mildly spicy to fiery. These slender, vibrant peppers—often red, yellow, or green—are prized not just for heat, but for their fruity undertones and aromatic complexity. Common types include ají criollo, ají amarillo, and ají rocoto, each with distinct flavor profiles. Ají is soul of Ecuadorian seasoning. It’s not just an ingredient—it’s a ritual. From highland homes to coastal cevicherías, ají is blended into sauces, pickled, or served raw to accompany nearly every meal. Its presence reflects Ecuador’s Indigenous culinary heritage, where spice is used to awaken the senses and deepen flavor. Ají sauces are often homemade, passed down through generations, and tailored to each family’s taste.
Warm Hospitality
Ecuador’s Pacific coastline yields an abundance of fresh seafood—shrimp, tuna, corvina, crab, octopus, and shellfish—harvested daily from warm tropical waters. Known for its purity and flavor, Ecuadorian seafood is celebrated for its natural sweetness, firm texture, and versatility across cooking methods: raw, grilled, stewed, or marinated. Seafood is the lifeblood of coastal Ecuadorian cuisine. It’s central to iconic dishes like ceviche, encebollado, and arroz marinero, reflecting the region’s deep connection to the ocean. Fishing communities have passed down techniques and recipes for generations, blending Indigenous practices with Spanish and Afro-Ecuadorian influences. Seafood is not just sustenance—it’s a source of pride, economy, and identity.