 | Quito Local Customs | Tips 1 - 10 of 36 |  |
Popular Local Customs | Miscellaneous Local Customs Tips | All Tips (36) In Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia they eat empanadas like Americans eat hot dogs. For those from Roxboro, an empanada consists of meat, gravy, a few vegetables, eggs, and, believe it or not, raisins (that's what makes them sweet). All that is baked into a flaky pastry. The only difference is, the savory variety of empanadas is called salteńas in Bolivia. Regardless of what you call it, I like it better than the Aussie pie or the American pot pie. filling 4 onions chopped 1/2 cup oil 1 tbsp paprika 1 lb ground beef salt, oregano, pepper 1 bouillon cube 3 eggs Fry onion in hot oil until cooked, lower the heat and add paprika and ground beef, when cooked add the rest of the spices, and the bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup of water.Let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. When cool use to stuff the empanadas. dough 5 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 lb lard 1 cup milk Sift flour, baking powder and salt together, add melted lard and hot milk, mix little, mixing well, but not kneading. Let stand for 20 minutes and then roll it. Cut in circles approximately 6" diameter, and put in each of them one tbsp stuffing, one olive, 2 or 3 raisins, one slice of hard boiled egg, moisten the edges and fold shaping them as triangles or rectangles, brush with egg white or milk, puncture in 2 or 3 spots.Place on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes at 375 F. Leave a Comment
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Güitig is a true local favourite. About an hour from here in the town of Machachi are springs of naturally carbonated water. Most carbonated waters are artificially carbonated. For years, they sold it just plain, but many folks are like me and think plain carbonated water tastes like the way your foot feels when it goes to sleep. So they added natural flavourings to make it more palatable. Leave a Comment
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Quimbolitos are corn-based desserts served decoratively in their husks (folks from Roxboro, don't eat the husk). It tastes rather like American cornbread, except sweeter- rather like the cornbread the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department serves with its Brunswick stew. Quimbolitos are not found on Ecuador's coast as it is mainly an Andean delicacy. 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter 6 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs, well beaten 1/4 cup milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/3 cup seedless raisins 2 tablespoons cognac or light rum Soften the butter at room temperature. In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs mixed with the milk. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder, and stir into the batter mixture. Stir in the cheese, raisins, and cognac or rum. Cut either kitchen parchment or aluminum foil into six 8x12-inch rectangles. Drop 3 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of each, and fold up into an envelope. Arrange in a steamer and cook over boiling water for 45 minutes. Serve hot, with or without cream. In Ecuador the Quimbolitos are cooked in achira leaves. If you can't find these at your local Piggly Wiggly, cook them them in parchment or foil. Leave a Comment
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Fritadas are little bits of fried pork. They are just as much of a national dish as cuy or ceviche. Sergio had warned me about possible health issues regarding fritadas. However, a chain of restaurants at upmarket urban shopping centres would certainly mind their pork so it wouldn't cause any problems. So, if you want fritadas, ignore the worrywarts and use a bit of common sense. Get them from a reputable restaurant, preferably in the city as opposed to just any roadside stand. Leave a Comment
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Chicha is a traditional drink found in Ecuador and other Andean countries, made from fermented corn, rice, or yuca. I had my first bit of chicha at a stand at the upmarket Condado Mall. To me, it tasted rather like apple cider and I rather liked it. Leave a Comment
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Folks down here add a sauce called ají to about everything short of their Fruit Loops at breakfast. This sauce contains tomatoes and certain types of peppers. It can range from mild to very spicy so ask if the ají is PICANTE (hot) or SUAVE (mild). The use of ají around here is so common that even the multinational fast food restaurants have to cater to this local taste. Here is one of many variations to the sauce: 2 bunches cilantro, stems removed 1/2 cup olive oil 3 jalapeńos, quartered 1/2 teaspoon salt water, as needed In a blender add the cilantro, oil, jalapenos and salt. Pulse, adding water as needed until it's well blended but not runny. Leave a Comment
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A Tres leches cake is a cake popular all over Latin America soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and either whole milk or cream. Since butter is not often used, tres leches is a very light cake. This distinct texture is why, although it is soaked in a mixture of three types of milk, it does not have a soggy consistency. I had the opportunity to try this the first time at the Hansel & Gretel bakery at the centro Comercial Condado in Quito. Here is the recipe of one of many versions: 1-1/4 cup cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup oil 5 eggs, large 1 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup plus 1/2 cup milk 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 cup plus 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon rum 1 pinch salt optional garnishes- fresh berries or cinnamon Combine flour and baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the eggs to the sugar mixture one at a time until well combined. Stir in the 1/2 cup of milk, then gently fold in the flour mixture a little at a time. Pour batter into a lightly greased cake pan or baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool until it feels room temperature. Turn it over onto a platter with raised edges. Pierce cake with a fork 20-30 times. Let it cool in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes. Whisk together 1 cup milk, 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup heavy cream and rum. Slowly pour over cooled cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Occasionally, spoon the milk runoff back onto the cake. In a mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Beat until peaks form. Spread a thin layer over the cake. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or garnish with fresh berries. Leave a Comment
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on November 30, 2007
Quito
