A steaming, green coastal aguadito with plenty of body. Cilantro leads a broth filled with rice, potato, corn, and peas, while the fish goes in at the end so it stays tender and intact. Comforting like a soup and filling like a main course, this is the kind of lunch that calls for a big spoon.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Cut the fish into large pieces, about 4 cm each, and keep them refrigerated while you prepare the soup. Blend the cilantro with about one tenth of the fish stock for 30 seconds, until you have an even green mixture with no large leaves remaining.
Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion, ground garlic, and ají amarillo with about half the salt for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is very soft and translucent and the sofrito no longer smells of raw garlic or chili. Add the blended cilantro and cook for another 2 minutes, just until the green color becomes vivid and aromatic.
Add the remaining fish stock and bring it to a gentle boil. Stir in the rice, medium pieces of yellow potato, and corn; cook partially covered for 12 minutes at a steady simmer, until the rice is halfway tender and the potato has begun to soften. Add the peas and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the rice is tender and the broth looks slightly thickened, never dry or stodgy.
Lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer, taste the broth, and add the remaining salt. Arrange the fish pieces without crowding them and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, gently moving the pot instead of stirring, until the fish is opaque through the center and flakes into moist pieces. If using a thermometer, the center should reach about 63°C.
Turn off the heat and serve immediately, dividing the fish and vegetables among the bowls before ladling in the broth. Finish with the lime juice just before eating so it brightens the soup without overcooking the fish or dulling the cilantro. It should arrive steaming, green, and full-bodied, with tender pieces of fish still intact. And that's it—a proper reviving aguadito.
