Ecuadorian fish soup {Biche or viche de pescado}
This soup is called biche de pescado, also known viche de pescado, and is a typical soup of the province of Manabí, but is served all over the coastal region of Ecuador. It has been quite some time since I’ve had this delicious fish soup, it’s very thick, almost a stew, and the contrast of flavors is amazing: fish, yuca or cassava, sweet plantains, sweet corn, peanut, onions, garlic, spices, and cilantro.
Preparing this soup brought back so many memories, especially when I got to the point where I could start smelling the final result it (and even more as I tasted it). It’s one of those soups that is so good and comforting. If you’ve ever had it before you’ll remember the taste just by thinking of it or looking at a picture of it. If you never had it before, try it, you will not be disappointed, it will become one of your favorites.
Ecuadorian biche or viche fish soup
Ingredients
Fish and peanut broth
- ½ – ¾ lb fish heads and bones or use a small whole fish
- 8 cups + 2-4 cups water adjust based on how thick you want the soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup peanuts lightly toasted
- 2 tbs sunflower oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- Salt to taste
Fish soup
- 2 lbs white fish fillets halibut, monkfish, ling cod, sea bass, etc, cut in medium sized pieces
- 2 tbs butter or oil
- 2 cups chopped red onion about 1 whole onion
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 bell pepper diced, about 1 cup
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- ½ tbs ground cumin
- 1 tsp achiote or annatto powder
- 2 tbs plain peanut butter unsweetened
- 1 ½ lb yuca or cassava peeled and quartered, fresh or frozen
- 2 very ripe plantains the ones that are starting to get black, sliced in about 10 rounds per plantains
- 2 corn ears cut into 6-8 small rounds per ear of corn
- 2-3 finely chopped cilantro or parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
- Lime slices
- Hot sauce
Instructions
Fish and peanut broth
- Bring 8 cups of lightly salted water to boil, add the fish heads, bones and other pieces, boil for about 30 minutes or until the pieces begin to come apart, strain the broth.
- Heat the 2 tbs of oil over medium heat to prepare a quick refrito, add the onions, garlic, cumin and salt, cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Blend the lightly toasted peanuts with the refrito, the milk, and 2 cups of the fish broth, blend until smooth.
- Strain the peanut, milk, refrito and broth mixture and mix with the remaining fish broth plus 2-4 cups of cold water.
Fish soup
- Heat the 2 tbs of oil over medium heat; add the chopped onions, garlic, pepper, achiote powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cook over low heat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Add the fish peanut broth and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the corn, the yuca and the 2 tbs of peanut butter. Simmer for about 35-40 minutes or until the yuca is cooked.
- Add the plantain slices and the fish chunks, cook on low heat until the fish is cooked, about 8-10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve warm with lime slices.
There is something about soups in Ecuador, we take them very seriously, probably because we eat them almost every day, when I go to a restaurant in Ecuador it isn’t a questions of whether to have soup but which soup to have, but anywhere else (US, Europe) that I’ve been unless there’s a strong recommendation for the soup I usually don’t order soup, even at home I need to eat soup at least once a week.
Additional vegetables, such as squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, and other types of beans, are sometimes added to this fish soup. For a summer soup I prefer it a little bit lighter and am not adding more than the essential sweet plantains, yuca, and corn. Biche de pescado can also be made with shrimp (biche de camaron) instead of fish or a mixed version that includes shrimp and fish, they’re all very good.
The soup is prepared using a quick homemade seafood broth, which is usually made with fish heads, unfortunately I arrived at the fish market at little bit early –and apparently the best time to find fish heads is after 3pm – so instead of making the broth with fish heads and bones, I bought a small ¾ lb trout, cut in a few pieces and used it to make the broth. You can also substitute with store bought seafood stock or just use plain water instead.
Most of my dishes always have a few side dishes, but this is one of this really simple ones, lime or lemon slices are a must have, and hot sauce is optional, I like it with hot sauce, but my husband thought the soup was so good and the flavor was perfect that it didn’t need hot sauce, I took this a compliment since it came from a guy who doesn’t really like peanuts that much and is a huge hot sauce consumer.
Step by step preparation photos for Ecuadorian biche or viche fish soup:
Other Latin American fish soups you might enjoy:
Dominican Fish Soup recipe
Mexican Caldo de Pescado Fish Soup recipe
The fish soup looks absolutely delicious!!
hey from manabi!
i suspect that a few more people will visit for more information about viche/biche. you do an amazing job with all of your recipes, and i look forward to every post!
http://playamart.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/v-is-for-viche-specialty-soup-of-manabi-ecuador/
lisa
Hi Lisa – Thanks for information! Love the photos!
I cooked this recipe and I loved it. The procedure was very easy to follow. Thank you so much for the pictures.
Thank you Laylita , I made this recipe last week and it was a delight. My husband was so impressed, that I have been learning to make his favorite Ecuadorian meals. Tonight I will try another one your your dishes.
from korean parents, i born in ecuador stumblem upon this website trying to find anything ecuadorian. oh how happy i was! came to the states when i was 10yo so i only remember flavors but not the actual cooking. i’m making this soup right now… and OMG, it’s delicious and just the way i remember it. thank you!!!
Laylita –
I just returned from a month long visit to Ecaudor. I was so fortunate to have been placed in the hands of a local Ecuadorean cook who served me this biche at the home of a friend in Casa Blanca. It was my first meal there, and it was fantastic. Having lived in Mexico and Venezuela, I was absolutely stunned at the rich variety of Ecuadorean dishes that I think of as “comfort food” because they convey a wonderful sense of contentment after eating them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your site. The patacones, aji, and others brought them to life again.
Excellent soup! Added an ethnic flair to my Good Friday. Took about three hours to make but well worth the wait. I’d highly recommend it to anyone in search of something full of flavor. I think next time I’ll use one plantain, thinly sliced, rather than two. Two was a little over powering for me. Wish you the best in your attempts! :)
Hi Laylita,
I visited Ecuador for the first time for two weeks for our church mission trip and I just love the foods! I love the Biche de Pescado a lot. I found your website and I am excited to find the recipe here. Your photos really make it so easy to follow. I am planning on making the dish for my party this weekend and I can’t wait! Thanks so much.
Joy
Laylita i am so happy, i made this soup today. came out great. You are really good explaining every detail. Since i know about your website, i cook more often. Gracias……
Quedo riquisimo con salmon, la combinacion con el Mani fue perfecta. En Alaska comemos salmon muy seguido y el cambio fue muy bueno. Yo le agregue dos cucharadas de harina de platano (que me trajectory de Ecuador ) y le dio la espesura perfecta!