Ecuadorian Tuna Encebollado (Encebollado ecuatoriano) — Coastal Yuca and Tuna Soup

• 900 gfresh albacore tuna steaks (yellowfin tuna may also be used)
• 900 gpeeled yuca (also called cassava, woody cores removed)
• 2.5 lwater
• 500 gripe tomatoes (chopped)
• 1large red onion (chopped)
• 1green bell pepper (chopped)
• 4 clovegarlic (minced)
• 1 bunchcilantro (stems and leaves separated)
• 2 tbspachiote oil
• 2 tspground cumin
• 12 gfine sea salt
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 90 mlfresh lime juice
• 500 mlcold water
• 1ripe tomato (seeded and diced)
• 12 sprigcilantro leaves (chopped)
• 120 gchifles (crisp green plantain chips)
• 90 gplain popped popcorn
• 3limes (cut into wedges)
• 120 mlEcuadorian ají hot sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pickled onion garnish first so it has time to soften. Put the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl with 500 ml cold water and 6 g salt, massage for 30 seconds, let stand for 10 minutes, then drain very well.

2. 2

   Add 90 ml lime juice to the drained onions and mix until every slice is coated. Fold in the diced tomato and chopped cilantro leaves, then refrigerate while you cook the soup so the onions turn bright, crisp, and lightly cured.

3. 3

   Heat the achiote oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion, green bell pepper, garlic, cumin, 6 g of the salt, and black pepper, then cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables collapse into a fragrant refrito.

4. 4

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the cilantro stems, scraping the bottom of the pot to dissolve the tomato juices into the refrito. Cook for 8 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture looks saucy rather than watery.

5. 5

   Add 2.5 l water and bring the pot to a steady boil. Lower the tuna steaks into the broth, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the fish is just opaque and firm.

6. 6

   Lift the tuna out of the pot and place it on a plate to cool slightly. Keep the broth simmering, because it now carries the flavor of the fish and will be used to cook the yuca.

7. 7

   Add the peeled yuca to the simmering broth with the remaining 6 g salt. Cook for 25 to 35 minutes, until the pieces are tender enough to split with a fork but still hold their shape.

8. 8

   Remove about one third of the cooked yuca and mash it with 180 ml of hot broth until smooth. Stir this mash back into the pot to thicken the soup in the traditional rustic way, leaving the remaining yuca in chunky pieces.

9. 9

   Flake the cooked tuna into generous bite-size pieces, discarding any tough connective tissue. Return the tuna to the pot and simmer for 3 minutes only, so the fish warms through without drying out.

10. 10

    Taste the broth and adjust only with the measured lime wedges and ají at the table rather than adding more unmeasured salt. Ladle the soup into deep bowls with yuca and tuna in each portion, then top with the pickled onions and serve with chifles, popcorn, lime wedges, and ají.