Pacaya is in season right now and is being sold in bunches at Punta Gorda Market.  Don’t miss out on this delicacy because it is only harvested for a short time.  These are the male inflorescences of the palm Chamaedorea tepejilote  and are hand-picked in the wild rainforests of Toledo.

To prepare pacaya simply make a slit lengthwise (see upper picture) to reveal the flowers which are the edible part (lower picture).

The Mayans at the market recommend that I chop the pacaya into pieces and cook it with egg.  I haven’t tried this yet.  I actually boil the pacaya for about 5 minutes and then I drain the water.  You can boil it for up to 20 minutes if you would like to remove the bitterness.  I like the bitter taste and I think that it is part of the whole culinary experience.

I’ve been eating the pacaya with a dash of soya sauce served with a bowl of miso soup.  This food has a crunchy texture with a pleasant bitterness.

I am sure you will find traditional recipes for pacaya on the Internet but if you are used to reading my Blog, you will be aware that I enjoy creating my own dishes.  Next on the list is pacaya tempura…ooooh, can’t wait!!

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