Ecuadorian cuisine making inroads into UK

producebusinessuk.com reported all too often South American food is lumped into the same menu bracket in British restaurants, meaning a multitude of unique dishes from countries like Ecuador are yet to be discovered. Produce Business UK takes a look at the mountain of opportunities out there for future fresh produce supply from the Andean nation with a trip to two London-based Ecuadorian restaurants.

A mix of Inca and Spanish influence, Ecuadorian cuisine is a fresh produce paradise, with both green and yellow plantain, tomatoes, onions, pretty much every kind of corn, citrus, herbs and exotic fruits, like tamarillo and cherimoya, key to its various refreshing and filling dishes.

Arguably more substantial than Peruvian fare and easier to access than Chilean, Ecuadorian food is a product of its lost Inca culture, the 300-year occupation by the Spanish and the varying range of fresh produce the country grows thanks to its trio of landscapes: the coast, jungle and mountains.
The West End experience

“Popcorn is an Inca invention,” informs new restaurateur, Fernando Leon at Tostado, as I begin my education in Ecuadorian cuisine. “Everyone assumes it’s American, but if it’s anything to do with corn, you can bet it originated in Ecuador. It’s eaten in all forms and forms part of many different meals.” Read Article