Although some places add the sauces for you or come pre-dressed with ají and or other sauces, this particular business lets customers add what they want. I really want to go back and try the mapahuira (pronounced mah-pah-wee-rah). Mapahuira is what you call the leftovers in the pan after frying pork, consisting of dark, greasy, crispy meat bits and seasonings. Yum!
I chose to focus on cevichochos because they are so deeply connected to the resources available in Ecuador. People here love seafood. In fact, a fish-onion soup called encebollado is the unofficial food of the country, although not everyone has the same access to fish. Chochos, the base ingredient of cevichochos, are more widely available and are easier to transport. A lot of Ecuadorians rely on them. Many people start their day early and work physically taxing jobs that require a substantial caloric intake to sustain. Chochos are a ridiculously nutritious food, because they are extremely high in protein, fiber and healthy fats, and they have a low impact on blood sugar, which makes them a good choice for the five percent of Ecuadorians who live with diabetes.
Cevichochos is more than a food connected to the geographical environment, however. Cevichochos are also connected to the cultural environment. In the park, there are 13 different vendors all selling the dish to support their families. From early in the morning to late at night, they are feeding hundreds of their community members, and there is no one type of customer. People of all ages and occupations enjoy cevichochos.
