Destination
Cuenca
The story
Encebollado is Guayaquil's signature soup, and specifically its most-consumed Sunday-morning dish. Fresh albacore tuna is simmered gently in a broth of tomato, onion, cumin, achiote and cilantro, then plated over chunks of tender boiled cassava (yuca) and topped generously with red onion that has been quickly pickled in lime juice. Served with a fistful of plantain chips (chifles), a squeeze of lime, a hit of ají picante, and a small cup of maracuyá juice on the side. The most reliable hangover cure in coastal Ecuador.
Method
Place the sliced red onion in a bowl with the lime juice, salt, sugar and coriander. Toss well and set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. The onion will soften and turn a deep pink.
Cook the cassava in salted boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain, split each chunk and remove the tough central fibre. Keep warm.
Warm the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Sweat the onion and red pepper 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, achiote, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes until jammy.
Pour in the stock and add the coriander stalks. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes to let the flavours develop. Fish out the coriander stalks.
Add the tuna cubes to the simmering broth. Cook 4 to 6 minutes only, until just opaque. Overcooked tuna is dry and stringy.
Stir in most of the chopped coriander leaves (save some for garnish). Taste for salt.
Divide the cassava chunks between 4 wide bowls. Ladle the tuna and broth over. Top each bowl with a generous handful of pickled onion, remaining coriander, and a scatter of plantain chips. Serve with lime wedges, ají picante and a small glass of maracuyá juice.
Tips
- Fresh, sashimi-quality tuna. Encebollado is defined by its fresh fish. Frozen tuna works if fully thawed and drained; canned tuna is a different (lesser) dish.
- Don't overcook the tuna. 4 to 6 minutes in the simmering broth is the target. Longer and it turns dry and stringy, losing the whole appeal.
- The pickled onion is essential. Encebollado literally means "onioned". Skip the lime-pickled red onion topping and you have not made encebollado, just a decent fish soup.
- Plantain chips are not optional. The crunch of chifles floating on top and being spooned into each mouthful is what makes the dish complete. Buy a good-quality bag if you're not frying them yourself.
- Maracuyá juice on the side is the Guayaquil move. The tart passionfruit juice cuts the rich broth and completes the specifically Guayaquileño version of the meal. Any citrus juice works if maracuyá isn't available.
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