For centuries, Honduras has been influenced by Mesoamerican culture, which is reflected in its cuisine—through the consumption of corn, beans, squash, and chili; linguistically, there is a strong influence of the Nahuatl language.
Its roots
From there, we can find that Nacatamal has Mesoamerican roots. The word Naca (Nacatl) means meat in the Nahuatl language, and Tamal (Tamalli) means wrapped.
As we can deduce, Nacatamal is of indigenous origin, dating back to the pre-Columbian era.
In Nacaome, a very beautiful place in southern Honduras, Nacatamal was one of the sacred foods of the gods. Our ancestors prepared Nacatamal with wild pork and birds such as the Jolote, a wild turkey.
With the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century, pork and chicken replaced the wild meats and Jolote.
How it’s made
The Nacatamal is a seasoned corn dough filled with pork and chicken or turkey, wrapped in banana leaves. It is one of Honduras’s traditional dishes.
During Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, families gather in the kitchen, cooking over a traditional fire. Men tend to carry firewood and tend the fire, while women prepare the corn dough and make the meat stew to assemble the Nacatamal and then place it in a pot of boiling water.
After some time, the irresistible aroma of the Nacatamales fills the air—ready to be tasted.
