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Corviche: Deep Fried Fish and Green Plantain

Corviche is definitely one of my favorite traditional foods here in Ecuador. It’s right up there with encebollado. Corviche is made with mashed-up green plantain and fish. That combination may not sound all that appetizing but when it’s made right, it’s amazazing! 😉

Corviche traditional food in Ecuador

Corviche: Deep Fried Fish and Green Plantain

I’ve eaten corviche at a few different restaurants but the best I’ve had is made by a good friend of ours. He makes it with fresh tuna but it can also be made with corvina – a white fleshed fish.

It’s served with a homemade onion salad and mayonnaise.

The Closest Thing to Battered Fish in Ecuador

I love fish and chips. It is one of the foods I miss the most. And while I haven’t seen Nova Scotia style fish and chips in Ecuador, corviche comes pretty close.

Corviche deep fried
The green plantain is grated and then mashed up. Once mashed it’s formed into balls and the fish is put inside.

Once the fish is enclosed in the mashed plantain it’s all deep-fried and comes out crunchy on the outside. On the inside, it’s soft like mashed potatoes.

Add the texture of the crunchy onion salad and smooth homemade mayo and it’s hard to resist.

Corviche soft on the inside
Corviche with onion and mayo
Corviche has a unique flavor that may come from the peanut butter used in the recipe. It’s very rich and I can only eat 2 medium-sized corviche.

Learn more about the differences: Plantain vs Banana (9 Differences)

Corviche traditional food in Ecuador
Hungry for more? Here are more ways to prepare plantains – both sweet and savory.

Have you tried corviche? What did you think of it? Please let us know by commenting on this post.

Chey

Tuesday 5th of January 2021

You made my mouth water. I live in Cairns, and it's notorious for uninteresting food. :)

Thomas

Sunday 13th of December 2020

Manta, Manabi I have been enjoying corviche from the beach vendors for a while, they serve it with salsa and mayo (not with the onion salad but then the salsa does contain onions). Taste is wonderful. Costs $0.50 each on Murcielago beach in Manta as of December 2020.

Jairo Grisales

Wednesday 1st of January 2014

My fever food is the hornado.

Mary Byerly

Wednesday 1st of January 2014

Which restaurants(s) do you recommend for this dish? Sounds yummy, but I would like to try it before we try making it.

Bryan Haines

Friday 3rd of January 2014

We haven't eaten it at a restaurant - only at friends homes. You are more likely to find this on the coast than the sierra.

Eric

Wednesday 1st of January 2014

I could get used to that dish, as i like fish. That looks very appetizing. I love onions specially fried in barbequed sauce. spread them over fish with portabella mushrooms and man have a dish fit for a king. Lou