Here is the sentence:
Kareem drank the hot tea that Sarah
laid on the counter. Although the steaming
liquid burned his throat, at least he erased the terrible taste of the squid
eyeball stew that he had ate.
The third verb, had ate, is the problem. As you know, this verb requires the past participle because of the auxiliary verb had. Had eaten is the correct form.
| Verb | Simple Present | Simple Past | Past Participle |
| eat | eat(s) | ate | eaten |