Caldo de Bolas de Verde

One of the most popular Ecuadorian dishes. YUMMY.

The recipe is long so if you would like the recipe, go to Layla Pujol's website.

www.laylita.com

http://laylita.com/recipes/2009/03/31/caldo-de-bolas-de-verde/

Colada de Avena Quaker (Ecuadorian Quaker Oatmeal Drink)

In Ecuador, we cook the fresh pulp of maracuya (passion fruit) or ripe naranjilla with the water and spices. Here in USA, I use frozen pineapple juice concentrate. It works really well.

4 cups water
Some cinnamon sticks
Some whole allspice
Some whole cloves
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup cold water
1 can frozen pineapple juice
Some vanilla extract
Sugar to taste

Boil the 4 cups of water with the cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a covered pot on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the oatmeal with the 1 cup water; let it rest.

Once the boiling water has all the flavor of the spices, add the oatmeal mixture and turn the low to medium. Cook stirring until the mixture is thick. Remove from the stove top.

Using a colander on top of a deep pot, strain the oatmeal mixture. Use a wooden spoon to help the mixture go through the colander. If necessary, use a little bit of water as well. Discard what remains in the strainer.

Once you have a very thick strained mixture, add some of the frozen pineapple juice and let it thaw. If necessary add more water and sugar to taste. Finally, strain the colada one more time and at the end, add some vanilla extract.

Serve over ice cubes.

Makes 6-8 servings

Pan de Yuca (Tapioca Bread)

1 cup tapioca starch or tapioca flour (almidon de yuca Goya brand or yuca harina Colombiana brand)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2- 2 cups Italian cheese blend
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus 1 pinch salt, optional)
water (milk or whipping cream if needed).

Mix all the ingredients adding some liquid if needed until the dough is very flexible.

Make balls the size of a walnut and place on an ungreased baking sheet 2-inches apart.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: Very good if served with smoothies.

Ecuadorian Humitas

Maybe not the traditional way to make Ecuadorian humitas because we do not use cornmeal in Ecuador but in my opinion, it is the right way to make them in order to have a great outcome in USA since the corn is a little bit different here.

www.kraft.com

                                Before steaming

6 fresh ears corn on the cob (with husks)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I use green onions)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon Calumet baking powder
3 eggs
1 cup cornmeal
1 package (8 ounces) Kraft mozzarella cheese, cut into into 1/2-inch cubes (I use shredded sometimes)
2 cups water (or more...)

Remove green husks and silk from corn, being careful to keep husks whole, Discard silk. Place husks in large pot of boiling water and blanch 1 minute. Remove from water; drain.

Cut kernels off cobs. Place half of the kernels and onion in blender container; cover. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour into  large bowl. Place remaining corn kernels, butter, eggs, baking powder and cornmeal in blender container. Cover. Blend until smooth. Add to corn puree in bowl. Stir in cheese. Batter will be thick but not stiff.

Place 2 of the corn husks on work surface, with long sides slightly overlapping. Spoon 1/4 cup of the corn puree onto bottom half of the husks; fold the top of the husks over the filling.  Fold in half from the left side, then fold in half again from the right side. One end of each humita should remain open.  Repeat with 34 of the remaining corn husks and remaining corn puree. Keep folded ends in place by tieing closed with thin strips of the remaining corn husks.

Fill a large pot with two cups of water. Line steamer basket with half of the leftover corn husks; place in pot. Stand the humitas, open ends up, in the basket. Cover with the remaining corn husks. Cover the pot with a lid. Bring water to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low. Steam 30 minutes or until humitas are firm.

Yield: 9 servings (2 humitas each)

Substitute:

dry corn husks could be use instead of the fresh corn husks. Blanch in boiling hot water. Then use as directed.

Note:

I closed both ends of the humitas since I did not have a steamer basket. I place some cobs at the bottom of a deep pan; poured some water just to cover the cobs. Then, I placed a metal baking pan on top of the cobs. The humitas were placed there and I covered the pot with the lid, being very careful that the amount of water did not get into the metal pan and therefore the humitas.

Ecuadorian Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb chicken thighs, cut-up into small pieces or chicken breasts, cut into serving-size pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 small green pepper
1 big garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 celery stick or 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 extra cups water
Salt
Pepper to taste
1/4 pound spaghetti, cooked
Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Blend garlic, onion, green pepper and celery with 1 1/2 cups water. Pour this mixture in a medium saucepan, add cumin and let it boil at medium heat until it dries completely and becomes like a thick paste.
Add the chicken cook slowly at very low heat stirring frequently for about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, tomato paste, tomato sauce and ketchup. Cover and let it simmer at low temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Finally, add oregano, sweet basil, cilantro, more salt if necessary, black pepper and simmer until the spaghetti sauce has a desired consistency. Pour the hot sauce over the cooked spaghetti and mix thoroughly.

Serve very hot.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 4

Refresco o Jugo de Tamarindo (Tamarind Drink)

A very popular drink in some Hispanic coutries, very refreshing if served with a lot of ice.



5-6 tamarind pods (like in the picture)
6 cups cold water
Sugar to taste
Vanilla to taste
Crushed or ice cubes.

Peel the tamarind pods and soak them in 4 cups of cold water. Let it rest in the fridge or counter for about 4 hours. Using a clean hand or a wooden spoon, mash the pods in the water to release the pulp, this will take 3 or 4 minutes.

Pass the mixture though a strainer and add 2 cups of water to the leftover tamarind in the strainer.

Add sugar and vanilla to taste and ice cubes.

Encocado de Camaron (Shrimp Encocado or in Coconut Sauce)

One of my very favorite Ecuadorian dishes.

1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
2 big cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2-3 tablespoons achiote oil
(You get this by heating up some canola oil in the pan at low temperature adding 1/2 teaspoon achiote seeds (annato seeds) that you can buy in the Hispanic aisle or Mexican stores. It is not hard to get). Once the oil is red, discard the seeds.

Cook the vegetables in the oil at medium temperature until translucent, stirring constantly. Be careful or the garlic will burn.

1 lb shrimp (I always use raw shrimp -frozen or fresh)

Peel the shrimp and make a stock with the shells, about 1/2 cup stock after boiling and discarding the shells.

Add the shrimp stock to the cooked vegetables, 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (I buy the one from Thailand, I prefer Lite).

Cook the mixture on low for a few minutes (about 4-5) and then add the raw shrimp and 1/2-3/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon, black pepper and a pinch of oregano. Cook the shrimp at medium temperature uncovered for about 5-6 minutes turning them over once or twice.

Some people like to add a couple of tablespoons of water with a little bit of cornstarch (about 1/2-3/4 teaspoon) to thicken the sauce just a little bit. If you do that, cook it for a couple of extra minutes.

Add chopped fresh cilantro and more salt if needed.

Serve with hot rice.

Ceviche de Camaron or Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche

1 lb shrimp (fresh or frozen, shelled and deveined)
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cook the shrimp for a few minutes until turns pink. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Mix.
Bowl:

1 small red or yellow onion, thinly sliced.
Pour hot water over onion and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Strain the onion. Place onion in a small bowl.
Add:

The juice of 2 big lemons (or to your taste)
Juice of 1 orange
Salt
Black pepper
1 tablespoon oil
Chopped cilantro to taste.

Refrigerate.

Once the shrimp cooled down, add:

 The onion mixture
1 small tomato finely chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup peeled cucumber, chopped (optional)

Mix well and refrigerate until serving.

Put on top:

Some ketchup
Some mustard

Note: We usually prepare our own fresh chili sauce called Aji Criollo but Tabasco is a great option is you like it hot!

Serve with popcorn, steamy white rice or patacones (twice-fried plantains).

Queso de Coco or Coconut Flan

A yummy Ecuadorian dessert.

Syrup:

1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water
Pour the sugar in a small saucepan and melt at low temperature until it dissolves and gets a nice brown color. Check it often or it gets burned. Add 1 cup water and let it cook at medium temperature until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. It will be very hot. Pour it into a medium size baking dish and cover the bottom and sides.

Flan:

3-4 large beaten eggs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 1/3 cups whole milk or evaporated milk
3/4-1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Pinch of cinnamon, cloves and allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla
A pinch of salt.

Pour the milk and the coconut in a bowl and add the beaten eggs. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients stirring constantly.

Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake in a double boiler at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will be ready when the top of the dessert looks golden brown. Let it cool down. Store in the fridge for some hours. Microwave the flan in the baking dish for 2 minutes and turn over a platter. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Note: Using evaporated milk instead of regular will make it creamier.