Encebollado (Ecuador)
Encebollado is a traditional Ecuadorian dish that holds a special place in the country’s coastal cuisine. This hearty fish stew, typically made with fresh tuna, yucca (cassava), and a flavorful broth, is seasoned with onions, tomatoes, and cilantro, creating a rich, comforting meal. I never thought I would enjoy tuna soup and croissants as much as I did, but here we are—and it’s absolutely delicious! This thick, hearty soup is so well-seasoned that it doesn’t even taste overly fishy. I made this with my beautiful Bhabhi (cousin’s wife) Diana Flores, and she mentioned that the closest bread she could find in the UK to the traditional Ecuadorian bread was croissants. Honestly, they’re fantastic with it!
Ingredients
- 220g Tuna Albacore steaks
- 1 yuca/cassava/Mogo (small-average size)
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 small green pepper
- 2 red onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3cm knob ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- one large bunch coriander
- one small bunch basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
To Serve
- Crunchy toasted corn
- croissants 1-2 each
- salted plantain chips
- Limes
Step 1
For the marinated red onions, thinly slice 1 red onion. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Gently massage the onions with your hands to soften them. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly.
Step 2
Finely chop a small handful of coriander, setting the rest aside for the soup. Cut the tomato into quarters, scoop out the pulp from one of the pieces, and place it in a bowl. (The remaining tomato quarters will be used later for the soup.)
Step 3
Strain the tomato juice from the pulp over the onions, then add the chopped coriander and the juice of a lime. Mix everything well and set it aside while you prepare the soup.
Step 4
For the soup, roughly chop 1 red onion, ginger, and green pepper. Crush the garlic. In a pan, add the chopped tomatoes, red onion, ginger, green pepper, and garlic along with a drizzle of oil. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Then, add the ground cumin and chili powder, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
Step 5
Add 500 ml of water to the pot. Meanwhile, tie the coriander and basil together using a long piece of coriander. Add this bundle to the pot along with the tuna and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Step 6
After the tuna has simmered for 5 minutes, remove it from the pot and gently peel apart the layers—it should still be pink inside. Set the tuna aside. Using a sharp knife, cut along the yuca and peel off the skin. Chop it into large chunks and add them to the soup.
Step 7
Remove half of the coriander/basil bundle and discard it, leaving the rest in the soup. Once the yuca is halfway cooked, take it out and roughly chop half of it before adding it back to the soup. Dice the remaining yuca and set it aside.
Step 8
Blend the soup with a hand blender until smooth. Once blended, add the remaining diced yuca and tuna.
Step 9
Season to taste. Serve the soup topped with dried oregano, marinated red onions, crunchy corn, plantain chips, and croissants for dipping.