Tropical Cuisine

Fish, such as the paiche, is delicious and served with palm hearts, yucca and fried bananas. Sopa de motelo (turtle soup), sajino (roast wild boar) and lagarto (caiman) are popular dishes. Juanes are very similar to tamales and are served stuffed with chicken and rice.

Coastal Cuisine

People on the coast are referred to as criollos and criollo cooking follows a strong tradition which has spread throughout the country.

Ceviche is the most popular - a dish of white fish marinated in lemon juice, onion and hot peppers. It is served with corn on the cob, toasted corn, yucca and sweet potatoes. Escabeche is fish served with onions, hot green pepper and red peppers, prawns (langostinos), cumin, hard eggs, olives and sprinkled with cheese.

Corvina, or white sea bass, is a superb dish on its own as is chupe de camarones, a shrimp stew made with different ingredients. Parihuela includes yuyo de mar (a tangy seaweed), and aguadito, a thick rice and fish soup which reputedly rejuvenates anyone who eats it.

Fish, of course, is not the only food on the menu. On the northern coast, seco de cabrito, roasted goat's meat, is served with beans and rice. Alternatively, seco de cordero is made with lamb instead. The chicken dish aji de gallina is rich and spicy. Duck is excellent too. Cau cau is a traditional criollo dish made with tripe, potatoes, peppers, parsley and served with rice and anticuchos (shish kebabs made from the heart of beef mixed with garlic peppers, cumin seeds and vinegar).