Ecuadorian · side

Llapingachos con Salsa de Maní

Llapingachos con Salsa de Maní reads richness 5.5, citrus 5.2 and sourness 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Ecuadorian side, about 1 hr 51 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.5 · Citrus 5.2 · Sourness 5.2 · Nutty 4.3 · Allium 4.0 · Salinity 3.7 · Umami 2.2 · Earthy 2.1 · Sweetness 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Fruity 0.5

What's in it (14)

• potatoes — 1200 g
• achiote powder — 15 g
• oil — 54 g
• onion — 160 g
• queso fresco — 250 g
• salt — 10 g
• peanuts — 200 g
• regular milk — 400 g
• garlic — 8 g
• cumin — 3 g
• eggs — 200 g
• avocados — 500 g
• curtido of thinly sliced red onion — 150 g
• lime juice — 30 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 51 min (1 hr 20 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 190.1 kcal, 9.6 g protein, 10.3 g fat, 15.1 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Llapingachos are potato cakes from the sierra around Ambato: mashed potato dyed gold with achiote, stuffed with fresh cheese, griddled until a crust forms, and served with peanut sauce, a fried egg, avocado and a sharp onion salad. In Ecuador they are a plate in their own right and they also come alongside hornado or fritada.
2. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until completely tender, drain thoroughly and let them steam dry in the colander for 5 minutes — wet mash makes cakes that fall apart on the griddle. Mash them smooth while hot, with no milk and no butter.
3. Warm 2 tbsp of the oil over low heat with the achiote for 1 minute until deep orange, strain if it is seed rather than powder, and cook the onion in it for 8 minutes until soft. Work all of it into the mash with the salt. The colour should be an even marigold.
4. Cool the mash to room temperature and then divide into 12. Flatten each in your palm, put a spoon of crumbled queso fresco in the centre, close the potato over it and pat into a disc 8 cm across and 2 cm thick, making sure no cheese shows at the edge. Chill 30 minutes; cold cakes hold together on the griddle.
5. For the salsa de maní, blend the peanuts with the milk to a smooth cream. Cook it with the garlic, cumin and a little salt over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until it thickens to the consistency of double cream. It will keep thickening as it cools, so loosen it with milk if needed. Peanut sauce is an Andean fixture, not an African or Asian borrowing here, and it should taste of peanut and cumin, nothing else.
6. Cook the cakes on a lightly oiled griddle over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes a side, undisturbed, until a deep golden crust has formed and they lift cleanly. Moving them early is how they tear.
7. Fry the eggs in the remaining oil. Serve two llapingachos per person with a fried egg on top, the peanut sauce poured over, avocado slices and a spoonful of the curtido at the side.
8. Substitutions: lard can stand in for the neutral oil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Hummus — Lebanese
• Egyptian Hummus — Egyptian
• Chicken Shawarma Meal Prep Bowls — Middle Eastern
• Perfect Hummus — Other
• Harissa Chicken Meatballs with Garlicky Yogurt Sauce — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what richness, citrus, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.