A taste of Belize – 5 must-try dishes

The Belizean cuisine is highly influenced by Mayan, Mexican and Caribbean culinary methods. If you’re quite the foodie, join The National Weekly as we explore 5 of Belize’s most tastiest dishes.

Tamales

Tamales are squares of cornmeal stuffed with chicken, pork or beans, along with green peas, onion and chunks of tomato, wrapped in smoked plantain leaves,and held together with the string stripped off plantain leave. The tamales are then steamed over an open fire until cooked.

Chicken Escabeche 

Escabeche is a an exotic chicken soup with its roots in Yucatec Maya and Spanish cuisine. The chicken is seasoned with oregano and thyme, lightly broiled, then roasted and served in a light and clear chicken soup seasoned with onions, black pepper, allspice, and Jalapeno pepper.The dish is served piping hot with hand made corn tortillas.

Cassava Pudding

For this tasty pastry, cassava, ginger, sugar, coconut milk and vanilla are combined to create the perfect Sunday night dessert. The ingredients are placed in a baking dish, until the pudding has perfectly set. A thin layer of pie crust can be added to give the pudding an extra “oomph”.

Belkin Beer

Made in the style of a german pilsner beer, Belikin is the leading domestically produced beer brand in Belize. The name “Belkin” is one of the ancient Maya names for Belize and means Road To The Sea. Said to be a “smooth” beer, Belkin is a favorite of tourists.

Cochinita Pibil

Cochinita Pibil is a traditional Yucatec-Maya slow roasted pork dish. The meat is marinated  in an acidic sour orange juice flavored with annato seed paste, garlic, allspice and onion.The meat is then wrapped in plantain leaf, placed inside a large roasting pan that then goes underground or inside a clay oven with firewood and slow cooked and smoked for hours until the meat is succulent and tender.The dish is served with hot hand-made corn tortillas, or over a bed of rice.