Biche de Pescado (Biche de pescado)
Overview
Biche de pescado is a thick fish and vegetable soup from the province of Manabí on the coast of Ecuador. A sofrito of onion, garlic, sweet pepper and annatto oil is fried with cumin, then stock or water is added along with corn cobs cut into rounds, cassava, ripe squash, green and sweet plantain and sometimes sweet potato. The broth is thickened with raw peanuts ground to a paste, the signature of Manabí cooking, and with grated green plantain, which is shaped into small balls in some homes. Chunks of firm white fish or albacore are poached in it at the end, and the soup is finished with coriander.
History
Biche is a speciality of Manabí, a province known for its peanuts, plantains and fishing towns such as Manta and Jaramijó. It is a filling dish served for family lunches and celebrations, and it is especially popular during Lent and Holy Week, when fish replaces meat. Each family and coastal town has its own mix of vegetables, and some cooks make it with salt fish instead of fresh.
Main ingredients
Fish, peanut paste, green plantain, corn, cassava, squash. The soup is built on peanut and fish broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Fish and seafood soups · Pumpkin and squash soups · Corn soups · More soups from Ecuador
Recipe
Method
- 15 min
Fry the onion, pepper, garlic and cumin in the annatto oil for 5 minutes.
- 220 min
Add 2.5 l water, the corn, cassava, squash and plantain chunks and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 3
Mix the peanut paste and grated plantain with some broth and stir into the soup.
- 415 min 8 min
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring, until thick, then add the fish and cook for 8 minutes.
- 5
Season, add the coriander and serve.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 20m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
