Encebollado is the national dish of Ecuador, a fish soup that is characterized by a large amount of onions. Very useful in curing hangovers, the dish is made with fresh tuna meat, cassava root, tomatoes, onions, coriander, and various spices. Tomatoes, onions, chili, coriander, and cumin form a pungent mix and a base for the soup, called sofrito, while pickled onions go either on top of encebollado or into it, giving it its name that is literally translated to onioned.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh tuna albacore or similar
- 1 lb yuca or cassava fresh or frozen
- 2 tbs sunflower oil
- 2 tomatoes diced
- ½ red onion diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 8 cups of water
- 5 cilantro sprigs
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil on medium heat to make a refrito with diced onion, tomato, cumin, chili powder and salt.
- Add the water and cilantro springs, bring to a boil.
- Add the tuna and cook for until the tuna is fully cooked, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the tuna and keep the broth to cook the yuca.
- Separate or break the tuna into small to medium size pieces.
- Bring the tuna broth to a boil and add the yucas, cook until tender but firm, about 30-40 minutes for the frozen yuca.
- Take the yuca from the broth, remove the strings and cut into bite size chunks.
- Add the yuca chunks and tuna pieces to the broth, taste and add salt if needed.
