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Home » About Laylita

About Laylita

Laylita - Layla Pujol

My name is Layla Pujol, my family and friends call me Laylita. I was born in Vilcabamba, Ecuador and currently live in Luxembourg. I spent several years in the US, both in Austin and in Seattle, and our family recently moved to Europe. My recipes are inspired mainly by traditional Ecuadorian dishes that I grew up eating in Ecuador. However, my love of food – and therefore the recipes posted here – go beyond Ecuador and include anything from Latin America, my mom’s spicy New Mexican cooking, my grandmother’s homemade Southwestern dishes and Texas style BBQ, my husband’s (and his family’s) delicious French food, new dishes introduced by my amazing group of international friends, and of course the great variety of seafood, vegetables and fruits available in the Pacific Northwest.

I am currently working on my first cookbook, which will focus on delicious Ecuadorian recipes (adapted to my style, of course!).
The longer version of my story
My approach to cooking and general instructions for using this site
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If you have any questions or comments you can leave them in the comment section, or you can email me directly layla at laylita dot com

About Laylita
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Comments

  1. Alicia says

    April 20, 2021 at 10:22 am

    I am in Canada, and I can not find naranjilla, with what can I replaced it to do la colada.Love your recipes.

    Reply
    • Layla Pujol says

      April 22, 2021 at 11:23 am

      Hi Alicia – You can use other fruit juices, some of my other favorites include passion fruit juice, mandarin or tangerine juice, pineapple juice, even orange juice will work.

      Reply
  2. Frank Munoz says

    April 12, 2021 at 5:41 am

    Greetings Layla! Im Frank who was born in Quito but raised since I was six in beautiful New Jersey. I’m truly grateful that my family kept up with Ecuadorian cuisine. I truly miss the nostalgia of great food. Please, please send me an email when your recipe book comes out I can’t hardly wait! My mouth is salivating already.

    Reply
  3. Dan Walker says

    February 20, 2021 at 6:55 pm

    Hello Laylita, I am also a Seattlite. I lived in Ecuador for 2.5 years in the early 90’s. I have been using your blog to cook my favorites for years. Encebollado, Locro de Papa, and tonight your empanada dough. Love it! You have been my go to for years.

    Cheers,

    Dan

    Reply
  4. Andreas says

    January 30, 2021 at 12:12 pm

    Just back from Ecuador. Such a beautiful, diverse country with many exciting people. We enjoyed our food in Ecuador tasting local and Peruvian dishes. Now back home, I am eager to try many of the new found dishes. There are Peruvian restaurants in the Bay Area, but no Ecuadorian.
    Laylita, I hope your cookbook comes out soon. Can’t wait.

    Reply
  5. Jessie says

    January 24, 2021 at 5:19 am

    Your recipes are incredible and every time I make one I feel like I’m back with my Ecuadorian family in Isabela! I have been waiting for your cookbook a couple years and really hope you publish because your recipes have brought me so much joy!!!!

    Reply
  6. Marlon says

    December 28, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    Hi there, Layla. My name is Marlon and I’m from Loja, Ecuador, but currently living in the US. I found your website and I really love it. The recipes are amazing. I like the pictures included as well. Very happy to see this for a person from my town. My wife is American and she will love to try some of these recipes as well.

    Reply
  7. Gabriela Arevalo-Alvear says

    October 12, 2020 at 8:41 am

    Hola Laylita,

    Soy de Quito y desde que me mude hace 6 años a Estados Unidos tu blog me ha salvado de morirme de hambre muchísimas veces. Siempre he sido super carishina pero tus recetas son super claras y casi siempre me salen bien.

    Tu blog me encanta por varias razones. Primero me ayuda a extrañar a mi casa y a mi familia un poquito menos. Segundo, me ayuda a impresionar a mi abuelas en nuestras video llamadas cuando le doy nuevos trucos que aprendo de tus recetas. Lo mejor de todo es que gracias a tu pagina poliglota puedo compartir nuestra tradición culinaria y cultura con mis amigos y familia de todas partes del mundo y eso me hace sentir orgullosa de ser ecuatoriana!

    Espero poder comprar tu libro pronto.

    Mucha suerte.

    Gabriela Arevalo

    Reply
  8. Gladys Luria says

    December 20, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    Hola Laylita yo soy mexicana y estoy casada con un ecuatoriano desde hace 34 años
    Vivimos en Mexico y nos encanta la cocina
    Yo amo la comida ecuatoriana de todas las regiones.
    Quisiera saber cuando publiques tu libro ya que tus recetas me resultan muy buenas; quisiera comprarlo
    Saludos!

    Reply
  9. Carlos Quintero says

    December 13, 2019 at 7:02 am

    Hi Laylita,

    My name is Carlos Quintero, originally from Quito and moved to the US some 55+ years ago. Your name reminds me of my late mother, who passed at 102. We all called her Lilita as my nieces and nephews couldn’t say abuelita and name her Lilita. But enough about me! I love…love…love your recipes which are a reminder of my mom’s cooking. I have tried some of your recipes and always end up delicious. I can’t wait ’till you publish your book. If you ever come to New Jersey, my casa es su casa.

    Reply
  10. Dianne Cordero says

    November 23, 2019 at 7:57 am

    My parents are from Cuenca and we have been in Toronto for 40 years now. Growing up I ate a lot of Ecuadorean food because it was what my parents cooked but I wanted to blend in more and not get made fun of at school so I started avoiding our traditional dishes. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I’m happy that I can find recipes to make the foods my parents and grandmother made for me and share them with her. Thank you! P.S. My mom is Lalita (Eulalia) so I tease her that this site is her secret identity!

    Reply
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Recipes by Category

Welcome

 Layla Pujol is an Ecuadorian modern-day nomad who loves to cook and travel. She currently lives in Europe, previously in the US, and is currently working on her first cookbook, which will focus on delicious Ecuadorian and Latin recipes (adapted to her style). More

Available Now ¡Cómpralo ahora!

Yo cocino latino cookbook

Ecuadorian Recipes

  • Pan de yuca or cassava cheese bread

    Pan de yuca or cassava cheese bread

    Pan de yuca, also known as cheese bread or yuca bread, are yummy melt in your mouth warm breads made with cheese and yuca or …
  • Chaulafan de pollo {Ecuadorian chicken fried rice}

    Chaulafan de pollo {Ecuadorian chicken fried rice}

    Chaulafan de pollo is an Ecuadorian chicken fried rice made with rice, chicken, bacon, onions, garlic, peppers, bell peppers, peas, carrots, scrambled eggs, raisins, spices …
  • Humitas or steamed fresh corn cakes

    Humitas or steamed fresh corn cakes

    Humitas are savory steamed fresh corn cakes made from a mixture of freshly ground corn, onion, garlic, cheese, eggs, and cream, which is placed inside …

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laylapujol

{Comida típica lojana en el restaurante Mamá Lol {Comida típica lojana en el restaurante Mamá Lola}

Traditional food from my hometown at @mamalolarestaurante in Loja, Ecuador:

1. Horchata lojana - a delicious sweet tea made with a mix of herbs and flowers 

2. Salsa de ají de pepa y mayonesa de cilantro - A mildly spicy pumpkin seed salsa and a cilantro mayonnaise served with popcorn (canguil) and hominy corn (mote) as an appetizer 

3 & 5. Cecina - a thinly sliced cut of seasoned meat, traditionally pork, but this restaurant also has a variation with chicken. Served with pickled onions (curtido) and boiled yuca.

4. Cuy - Guinea pig, not everyone’s cup of tea, I love the seasoning but find it a bit gamey/overpowering so I usually just have a small taste. My favorite part are the potatoes they served with it 

#comidalojana #comidaecuatoriana #lojaecuador #cecina #cecinalojana #cecinadepollo #ajidepepa #cuyasado #horchatalojana #ecuadorianfood
{Helado de naranjilla} Naranjilla ice cream - anot {Helado de naranjilla}
Naranjilla ice cream - another must try when in Vilcabamba 

#naranjilla #helados #vilcabambaecuador #heladodenaranjilla #lulo #ecuadorianicecream #heladoecuatoriano #ecuador
{La Hostería Izhcayluma en Vilcabamba es uno de l {La Hostería Izhcayluma en Vilcabamba es uno de los lugares más relajantes y con las mejores vistas. Me encantan las clases de yoga, los desayunos y el excelente servicio.}

I love the relaxed atmosphere and amazing views at @izhcayluma in Vilcabamba. The morning yoga classes are a wonderful way to start the day, plus the delicious food and great people that work there.

#izhcayluma #vilcabamba #lojaecuador #vilcabambaecuador #valledelalongevidad #ecuador
{Una deliciosa variedad de platillos llenos de cre {Una deliciosa variedad de platillos llenos de creatividad y sabores ecuatorianos en @shamuico.saraguro }

Love the combination of creativity + Ecuadorian flavors of ShamuiCo restaurant in Saraguro - a must stop if you find yourself driving between Cuenca and Loja. We tried the following:

{Morcillas con tortillas de papa} The best blood sausages with potato herb patties 

{Langostinos en tempura de coco} Coconut tempura shrimp with ripe plantains 

{Cuy relleno con menestra} Guinea pig stuffed with lentils 

{Cecina lojana con boloncitos y queso} Thin pork steaks with little plantain dumplings and cheese

{Deditos de pescado con aguacate} Fish sticks with avocado - this description doesn’t sound great, but it was delicious 

{Ensalada con queso frito y choclo} salad with fried cheese, choclo corn, plantain and more

{Chicha huevona y chicha de Saraguro} Two variations of chicha, a fermented corn drink from Saraguro 

{Horchata lojana} A sweet herbal floral drink from Loja that we call horchata

#shamuico #saraguro #lojaecuador #comidaecuatoriana #comidafusion #ecuadorianfood #ecuadorianflavors #saborecuatoriano #ecuador
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