Kim Ji-soo joined The Korea Times in 2006, and worked on such desks as culture and politics and is currently a member of the Editorial Board. Previous workplaces include The Korea Herald and the Korea JoongAng Daily.
Ecuadorian cuisine rooted in Earth
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Ecuadorian chef Maria Moreno holds an Ecuadorian shrimp dish that she prepared for the special event to promote the food of the South American country at the Orangerie buffet restaurant at the Millennium Seoul Hilton, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Millennium Seoul Hilton
By Kim Ji-soo
By Kim Ji-soo
Maria Moreno, 36, was a student of agriculture before she became interested in cooking. It’s a complete cycle of knowledge that helps her in cooking and communicating the flavor of Ecuador.
“I find that the knowledge of the product, and knowing all the energy and the effort that went into the product, makes me appreciate the final result,” said Moreno, currently in Seoul to promote the diverse cuisine of Ecuador.
The chef traveled 36 hours for the event taking place at the Millennium Seoul Hilton near Mt.Nam, Seoul, throughout March.
“We love salty food, acidic food and we use a lot of lime juice in our food. When my fellow cooks tried the ceviche, right away they said ‘too acidic,’” Moreno said.
“In Ecuador, ceviche is marinated in lime juice overnight — unlike Peruvian — and we mix it with chopped vegetables, so it’s really acidic. We adore ceviches made that way — fine-dining restaurants, on the street and at the beach.
“We will make three kinds of ceviches during the promotion, including one with shrimp.”
So she has been trying to adapt the cuisine to Korean taste, and in addition, trying to focus on the product.
“Above all, the interest of this event is on the product. To make sure that the shrimp is well known for the high-quality that we produce in a natural way, with tropical fruits. The food and the people of Ecuador are rooted to the Earth,” said Moreno.
She said the green plantains, which are in the family of bananas, have been well received by Koreans so far.
Ecuador has three regions — the coast, the Amazon and the mountains — so the food is different and the cooking is very diverse.
“That is why we would like to put forth products such as shrimp, bananas and cocoa. They are high-quality products, the best shrimp, the best bananas and best cocoa,” she said. That way, the world will know more about the flavors of Ecuador, which are seeing a greater influx of tourists.
When asked about globalization of Korean food, she said that professionalism of restaurants in a country is one step.
The France-trained chef personally likes a lot of vegetables for her dishes; Ecuadorian cuisine tends to be salty, acid-tasting and heavily seasoned, which is preferred by Koreans.
Korea is considered a gateway to Asia, one of the most developed societies in the region with a young generation willing to taste and get to know food trends.
“The vegetables here are so different than what we use in Ecuador. It’s a learning exercise for me,” said Moreno.
“I find the Korean food very healthy, and I had the chance to taste the authentic everyday Korean food with the staff,” she said. She found the presentation of the rice, soup and side dishes “colorful and fresh.”
A native of Guayaquil, which is along the coast and near the widest river in Ecuador, Moreno studied agriculture in Costa Rica. Her cooking was sparked during her internship at Frey Vineyards in northern California.
“The family-owned business also had an organic catering service that prompted my interest in cooking ... when I was 24,” said Moreno.
So she changed her path and started as an apprentice at a restaurant back home and later went to study at theLycee Hotelier et de Tourisme de Biarritz, France.
Back home, she has been appearing on a morning talk show for the past three years, teaching people how to make simple tasty dishes.
“It’s a classic morning show where I sometimes have people cooking with me as they watch the show,” she said.
She introduced the base of her hometown cooking which is a mix of pan-fried red onions, green bell pepper, cumin powder, garlic and annatto.
“It’s the aromatic base of most dishes. It’s a little bit of alchemy because it provides the aroma but the end result varies by the dish,” Moreno said.
She said she found Korean food very healthy, and that she herself likes to incorporate a lot of fruit and vegetables like avocado and stewed beans into her daily diet.