Ancient Mayan Food Recipes

This is not strictly speaking about the ancient Mayan's food recipes since there are none preserved. What I have done is from common historical knowledge to adapt some modern Mayan recipes. A big difference from today is, of course, the absence of onions since they only came with the Spanish. If you really want to know more information about Ancient Mayan Food just click this link where you can read about their agriculture and lots more.

The modern burrito has a long history.

Ancient Mayan Food Recipes - Starters And Soups

Salsa


- 800 g small tasty tomatoes
- 2 finely chopped habanero chilis (without seeds)
- 1/2 finely chopped small green bell pepper

Remove hard center part from tomatoes and crush them in a bowl, add all other ingredients. Nice with tortillas.

Pumpkin Soup


(Serves 8)
- 1 1/2 kg pumpkin in pieces, cleaned, peeled and seedless
- salt
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1000 ml turkey broth (can be replaced with chicken broth)

Boil the pumpkin in a large cooking pot with 1 tsp of salt until soft, about 20-30 minutes. Strain water and mash to a smooth paste - add honey, allspice and enough stock to make it a soup. Salt to taste.

Ancient Mayan Food Recipes - Main Courses

Ancient Burritos - Black Beans in Tortilla Wrappers


Black beans:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 finely chopped habanero chilis (without seeds)
- 1 chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper powder
- 1 sprig epazote (can be excluded)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup dried black beans
- 2 cups of water

Corn Tortillas:
(15 tortillas)
- 500 ml masa harina (treated corn flour)
- 300 - 400 ml warm water

Garnish:
- small diced tasty tomatoes

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add chili, bell pepper, allspice, cayenne pepper, epazote, and salt and stir fry for 30 seconds. then add beans and fry them for some of the minutes while stirring. Add water and put the lid on the pressure cooker and put it on high temperature and cook for 20 minutes. then Leave it for cool off for at least 15 minutes before you open lid, During the waiting for it to cool off for utilizing the time to make the tortillas. Mix cornflour with water until you have a soft smooth dough, cover with a damp cloth. Now for the flattened golfball-sized piece of dough in a tortilla press prepared with using the waxed paper.  Put wax paper on top and press. In a non-stick frying pan place the tortilla, removing the paper carefully with wet hands. Fry for one minute on each side on high heat until it starts to catch color. Keep under dampened cloth and repeat procedure. Make a wrapper with black beans and tomatoes inside. Delicious!

Turkey Tamales


- 1000 ml turkey broth (can be replaced with chicken broth)
- 1500 ml masa harina (treated corn flour)- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
- salt
- corn husks
- 1 kg shredded cooked turkey
- 2 diced tomatoes
- 2 finely chopped habanero chilis (without seeds)
- 2 sprigs epazote (can be excluded)

Heat the broth. While stirring sift in a tbsp of masa harina to make it thick, take off the heat. Preheat oven to 190 °C. In a bowl knead corn flour, turkey fat, allspice, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt to a dough. On a corn husk put about half a cup of dough, make a depression in the middle that you fill with shredded turkey, tomatoes, habaneros and epazote finally soaking it all with broth. Cover with a "dough lid" so that it does not leak, wrap in corn husks. Bake them in the oven for 90 minutes.

Ancient Mayan Food Recipes - Beverages

Hot Chocolate


(4 cups)
- 4 cups of water
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 stalk cleaned fresh vanilla
- salt
- cayenne pepper

Start with bringing 2 cups of water and cocoa powder to a boil while stirring with a balloon whisk. Now add the rest of water, honey, vanilla, and salt, bring it back to a boil and whisk it forcefully to create a foam. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top and serve.