Seafood is an essential part of Ecuadorian cuisine, especially from the coastal provinces and, of course, from the gorgeous Galapagos Islands. You can taste an excellent variety of crabs, shrimp, prawns, lobsters, shells, fish and many more.

Today we share a distinct and not very well-known specialty, totally endemic to the insular region, the canchalagua. Cancha… what? Yes, it is likely that you have not heard of it, it is a mollusk formed by a conch shaped like a black shell of five centimeters. Its meat is white and has an octopus-like texture, but similar in flavor to shells and clams.




Its scientific name ischiton magnificusand from this specimen the delicious canchalagua ceviche is born. It’s not a complicated preparation, as it is very similar to that of shrimp or fish ceviche, always using lemon to boost the taste of the mollusk.

 The dish is traditional in the Galapagos Islands, however, in San Cristobal Island it is well-known in restaurants, as it is a highly sought-after dish. It is served with a serving of rice, patacones (fried green mashed plantains) or chifles (plantain chips), canguil (native corn) and avocado.
 
Diana Ramírez R.
 
Image credits: Jet Trip