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1
Prep the Shrimp and Vegetables
10 Mins • Hands On
No heat — prep only
Peel and devein the shrimp, rinse them briefly and pat completely dry. Dice the onion, bell pepper and tomato, mince the garlic, chop the chillangua and squeeze the lime. Keep the shrimp chilled in the fridge until the sauce is ready.
Dry shrimp sear and simmer better — wet shrimp steam and turn rubbery.
Done when: Everything is chopped, the shrimp are dry and cold, and the lime juice is ready.
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2
Cook the Rice and Fry the Patacones
20 Mins • Hands On
Frying oil 180°C (350°F); rice on a low simmer
Cook the rinsed rice in 480 ml of water with a pinch of salt until tender and fluffy, about 18 minutes, then fluff and keep warm. Meanwhile, fry the plantain rounds in hot oil for about 3 minutes until pale gold, lift out, smash each round flat, and fry again for about 2 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on paper and salt lightly.
Smash the plantains between two plates lined with baking paper — they flatten evenly and do not stick.
Done when: The rice is fluffy and separate; the patacones are crisp, golden and salted.
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3
Build the Refrito
8 Mins • Hands On
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the bell pepper and cook 3 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and the achiote paste and cook for 1 minute, until the oil turns deep gold. Add the tomato and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring, until it softens and the mixture looks thick and jammy.
Let the achiote bloom in the hot oil — that is what gives the sauce its golden colour.
Done when: The onion is soft, the oil is deep gold and the tomato has melted into a thick base.
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4
Simmer the Coconut Sauce
10 Mins • Hands On
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Pour in the coconut milk and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer — never a hard boil — and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and turns a rich golden orange. Season with the salt and stir in half of the chopped chillangua.
A hard boil can split coconut milk, so keep the heat low and the simmer lazy.
Done when: The sauce coats a spoon, is glossy and golden, and tastes rich and savoury.
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5
Add the Shrimp and Finish
5 Mins • Hands On
Gentle simmer; shrimp cooked through to 63°C (145°F)
Slide the shrimp into the simmering sauce in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until they are opaque, pink and curled into a loose C shape. Take the pot off the heat at once, stir in the lime juice and the remaining chillangua, and taste for salt.
Shrimp go from perfect to rubbery in under a minute — pull them off the heat as soon as they turn opaque.
Done when: The shrimp are opaque and pink all the way through, at 63°C (145°F), and curled into a loose C, not a tight O.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the stew into a coconut shell or a wide bowl, ladle over plenty of golden sauce, and serve with the white rice, crisp patacones, sliced avocado and lime wedges on the side.
Ecuador
30m
