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.
Pacaya From Market.
To prepare pacaya simply make a slit lengthwise (see upper picture) to reveal the flowers which are the edible part (lower picture).
Pacaya Peeled.
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.
Pacaya Boiling.
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.
Pacaya and Miso Soup.
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!!
Hello Everyone!! We’ve really enjoyed them this year. Pacaya Palm are the inflorescences of Chamaedorea tepijilote. Below are my gallery of pictures:
