Indio viejo is a Nicaraguan dish made with vegetables such as garlic, onions, sweet peppers, and tomatoes. Water-drenched tortillas are first ground into a dough; then the beef is shredded and fried with vegetables, tortilla dough, and achiote paste.
When all of these components are combined, it results in a creation of this hearty stew with a name that can be translated as old Indian. The dish dates back to pre-Columbian Nicaragua, when it was originally made with Central American animals, although beef is the preferred option these days.
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Jocón de pollo is a traditional dish hailing from Huehuetenango. The dish is made with a combination of chicken pieces, pumpkin and sesame seeds, tomatillos, cilantro, scallions, chili peppers, and corn tortillas that are chopped, soaked in water, and drained.
The dish is heavily influenced by Mayan culture and it's very popular with the Mayan population. This chicken stew in a green sauce made with cilantro and tomatillos that's thickened with sesame and pumpkin seeds and tortillas is usually served with rice and avocado slices on the side.
Belizean rice and beans with stewed chicken is the national dish of Belize. Simple and cheap ingredients that make the dish are taken to another level by the skillful addition of various spices, with each cook making the dish a little bit different than another.
Rice and beans are sweetened with the addition of coconut cream in which the two are cooked, and the dish can be bought on numerous street corners from street-side sellers in Belize. Although rice and beans are considered a Creole dish, today it's eaten by numerous people and is a staple of Latin food.
This tasty stew is often referred to as the national dish of Guatemala. It shows a blend of Mayan and Spanish cultures and a taste of both. Pepián is characterized by its thick and rich consistency, and it usually contains meats such as beef, chicken, or pork, along with fruits and vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, corn, pear, and squash.
The flavor is slightly bitter because of the roasted spices that are blended together, then added to the stew. It can be found in diners or bought from street food vendors, who often serve pepián with rice and corn tortillas on the side. Pepián is also very popular in Chile.
MOST ICONIC Pepián
This Nicaraguan one-pot meal consists of chicken or pork, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, mint, and rice. The name of the dish can be translated as watery rice, and despite the inclusion of various vegetables and meat, it is rice that turns this dish from a soup into a stew, giving it a dense texture during the cooking process.
For the traditional version, it is recommended to serve arroz aguado in bowls, garnish it with coriander, mint leaves, avocados, and limes. Due to the fact that this dish is basically the Nicaraguan version of chicken soup, it is often served to people suffering from a cold to help them recover faster.
Olla de carne is a rich and hearty Costa Rican stew made from beef cuts such as flank and short ribs, becoming especially tender when simmered in a broth together with cassava, carrots, potatoes, corn, plantains, and taro roots. This stew is traditionally prepared on weekends, both in home kitchens and restaurants, where it is accompanied by rice, beans, or deep-fried plantains.
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Pulique is a Guatemalan stew consisting of beef or chicken, rice, garlic, tomatoes, onions, guaque chile peppers, and chicken stock. The stew is typically flavored with whole cloves, black peppercorns, and epazote. The beef is first baked, then combined with the rich sauce which is ladled over the meat before serving.
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Revolcado is a Guatemalan curried stew consisting of a small pig's head and entrails, tomatoes, tomatillos, bell peppers, chiles guaques (Guatemalan chiles), garlic, onions, and annatto. The sauce is sometimes thickened with corn flour, and the stew is typically served as a comforting and nourishing winter dish.
MOST ICONIC Revolcado
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Kak'ik is a Guatemalan stew made with turkey leg as the star ingredient. It also contains tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, bell peppers, and variety of spices such as annatto, Cobanero chile peppers, and coriander. In Cobán, the origin place of kak'ik, it can be found on almost every restaurant's menu.
The word ik in the name of the dish means spicy in Q'eqchi, referring to the spicy Cobanero chiles. The stew is traditionally served with rice and tamales which have been steamed in banana leaves. It is recommended to garnish the dish with chopped mint leaves before serving.
MOST ICONIC Kak'ik
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Candinga is a traditional stew that's simple, yet hearty. It's made with a combination of pork liver, oil, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, stock, and seasonings. The ingredients are simmered over low to medium heat until they become tender. The stew is seasoned with salt and pepper, and it's then served with fried plantains, rice, beans, or fresh corn tortillas.
It's traditionally accompanied by lime wedges on the side so that every person can season their candinga with a squeeze of lime juice.
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