Amazonian smoke with nothing getting in the way: cecina browned just until the edges tighten, caramelized ripe plantain, and a cocona salsa with ají charapita that resets the palate after every bite. Salt, smoke, sweetness, and acidity take turns without competing. The aroma left in the pan tends to summon forks ahead of schedule.
Peel the cocona, remove the seedy center, and cut it into small dice. Finely chop the red onion, ají charapita, and sacha cilantro; mix them with the lime juice and salt until the cocona begins releasing its juices. Keep it fresh and chunky: this should be a juicy salsa, not a purée.
Peel the ripe plantain and cut it into thick diagonal slices. Heat most of the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
If the cecina pieces are very large, cut them into serving portions; do not add salt because the meat is already cured. Increase the heat and add the remaining oil if the pan looks dry. Fry the cecina for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until heated through, glossy, and lightly crisp around some edges, while still flexible when bent. Remove it as soon as it reaches that point; any longer will only toughen it.
Serve the cecina immediately with the ripe plantain still hot and a generous portion of cocona salsa alongside. The contrast should be unmistakable: smoky, salty meat; soft, sweet plantain; and fresh cocona that resets the appetite after every bite. And that’s it—if someone starts stealing plantains from the serving plate, you are already too late to restore order.
