Ecuadorian food: Tigrillo and majado
One sure way to start the day if you are at the beach or the Coastal region of Ecuador is by eating tigrillo or majado! You will get energy for at least 6 hours once you eat either one of them!
And as we say, eating traditional dishes is a sure way to experience a country, and Ecuador has a lot to offer when it comes to gastronomy.
Seafood, fruits, and vegetables abound in Ecuador, making eating an important part of the experience for tourists.
Today we want to share about tigrillo and majado, two traditional tasty dishes of Ecuador.
The difference between tigrillo and majado
Tigrillo and majado are two of the most delicious traditional dishes in the Coastal region of Ecuador.
And although they are frequently confused, they are different dishes.
On the one hand, we have tigrillo, originally from the city of Zaruma in El Oro, which was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ecuador in 2020. This a tasty dish that can be described as a casserole-style dish of mashed green plantains on a sofrito of onions, garlic, and achiote, mixed with egg and milk. Tigrillo is moister since it also includes milk.
Tigrillo is topped with cheese, egg, and sometimes seafood or meat.
There is tigrillo de Zaruma, which is the most iconic dish, and one you can taste in Zaruma.
On the other hand, we have majado, a green plantain mash on a sofrito of onions, garlic, and achiote. It doesn’t include cheese, eggs, or milk. Majado is topped with egg.
If you are in South America, I would love to see your pictures.
What it tastes like
This delicious dish can be tasted at the beach and in main restaurants in Ecuador, serving traditional food from the country’s coastal region.
There are also many restaurants offering delivery, so you can enjoy your tigrillo right at home if you are in Quito or Guayaquil.
How and where to eat them
Both majado and tigrillo are served with a fried egg or eggs, slices of fresh cheese, and aji. Tigrillo sometimes includes a serving of meat or seafood with a nice sauce that you can pour on top.
Both delicious dishes are found in the coastal region of Ecuador, and they have started to be available in more restaurants in the Highlands or Sierra.
Tigrillo and majado are mainly served or available during breakfast or brunch, but you can also eat them at lunch.
While doing research for this blog post, we learned that tigrillo is a dish that is originally from Zaruma in the province of El Oro in the Coastal region of Ecuador. We also found out that there are similar dishes to majado in Latin America, including mangu in the Dominican Republic, mofongo in Puerto Rico, and fufu de platano in Cuba.
Have you eaten tigrillo or majado before? Did you like it?
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