Cevichochos are a quintessential Ecuadorian food. In fact, it's a mix of two very Ecuadorian foods! Ceviche is a South American dish of raw fish and seafood that's marinated in a mixture with lime. The acid from the lime "cooks" the fish so it's safe to eat. How cool is that? However, it can be difficult to get fresh fish in the mountains, which is where the second part of the word, chochos, comes in. Chochos is the local word for a bean native to Ecuador. In English, we call it the Andean lupin bean. In the mountainous regions of the country, people eat a lot of chochos because they're high in protein and easy to transport. When people marinate their chochos in lime, onion, tomato, cilantro and sauces, just like ceviche... we get cevichochos!
I tried cevichochos from one of the longest-standing family businesses in La Carolina park. They've been operating since 1984, and they serve at least 100 customers a day. The business (appropriately named Cevichochos Con Fritada La Carolina) offers eight different options, ranging from small, vegetarian snacks to full meals with multiple meats and add-ons. Even with all of that, the most expensive meal there is only about five dollars, perfect for dining on a budget. After interviewing a couple of happy customers, I decided to get the completo (complete).
