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Recipes from Guatemala
In Guatemala, corn is the main
staple food, accompanied by beans. As they are available, the people add
to their diet tomatoes, hot and bell peppers, bananas, plantains,
pineapples, papayas, pork and chicken. In Extending the Table: A World
Community Cookbook (Herald Press, 1991), Joetta Handrich Schlabach
shares an account of the corn-planting day of the K’ekchi’ Indians of
Guatemala. After a breakfast of tortillas and beans, Christians offer a
prayer to God asking for his blessing on the seed and for safety during
the planting. Those of traditional Mayan belief offer a sacrifice to the
corn God. (p. 138) This closeness to the land and to the spiritual
connection to the food given to us by a Creator God is often lost in our
society when we buy most of our food in boxes and cans from a brightly lit
supermarket.
Baked Bananas
(Guatemala) serves 4
Guatemala depends on selling cash crops such as bananas, coffee,
cotton, cardamom and sugar to earn foreign exchange. When world
prices drop, Guatemalans suffer both because of a loss of income to
support services and because the land planted in cash crops has not
been used to grow food for local consumption.
| 4
large bananas |
small
carton sour cream or plain or vanilla yogurt |
| 1
tablespoon margarine |
1
cup cashews or walnuts (or both) |
| 2
tablespoons honey |
˝
cup raisins |
| juice
of one lemon |
|
Heat oven to 350EF.
- Peel bananas and cut them in
half, lengthwise. Place them in a greased baking dish and dot
with margarine.
- Mix the honey and lemon juice
together and spread over he bananas. Put the dish in the oven
and bake for 10 to 20 minutes. Serve hot with sour cream or
yogurt, chopped nuts and dried fruit.
Recipe from The New
Internationalist Food Book, by Troth Wells, Second Story Press,
1995, p. 162 |
Corn Soup
(Guatemala) serves 4
| kernels
from 3 fresh ears of corn or 1 16-ounce can of sweet corn |
| 1
onion, sliced finely |
2
tablespoons flour |
| 1
tablespoon margarine |
2
˝ cups milk |
- If using fresh corn, cook it in
boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes until tender. Drain, keeping
water. If you use canned corn, drain and keep liquid.
- Melt the margarine in a large
saucepan and cook the onion until it is soft. Sprinkle in the
flour, mixing well. Cook a couple of minutes, stirring
constantly.
- Remove pan from heat and slowly
pour in the milk, stirring to give a smooth consistency.
- Add the corn kernels, along
with salt and pepper to taste, and about ˝ cup reserved
liquid. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, stirring as the
mixture thickens. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot.
Menu suggestion: serve with the
salad below, fresh tortillas and baked bananas, above, for dessert
Recipe from The World
in Your Kitchen, by Troth Wells, Second Story Press, 1993, p.
55 |
Red Beets in
Vinegar (Guatemala) serves 4
Ensalada de Remolacha (ayn-sah-LAH-dah
day ray-moh-LAH-cha)
| Cook
until tender in salted water: |
1
large whole red beet or several small ones |
| Cool,
peel and slice. |
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| Combine
with: |
1
small onion, sliced
˝ cup vinegar and salt and pepper to taste |
Chill and serve in glass bowls.
Recipe from Extending
the table: a world community cookbook, by Joetta Handrich
Schlabach, Herald, 1991, p.120 |
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