Typical dishes of Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a land of beaches and paradise islands, mountains, natural reserves, and heritage sites. Composed of three major geographical regions: Pacific, Central, and Caribbean, Nicaragua has a diverse gastronomy in each of its areas, with exquisite typical dishes. Its common denominator with Central America and Mexico is corn as the basis of its diet. Here we present 10 emblematic dishes of Nicaragua: NacatamalIt is a tamale made of dough with ground corn and lard, filled with marinated pork or hen, rice, potato, tomato, onion, and chiltoma, cooked in banana leaves. A weekend delight whose origin dates back to the gastronomy of the Maya, who prepared this type of food on their festive days and ceremonies.  Beef tripe soup It is the typical soup of Masaya, southeast of Managua, and the star of markets, restaurants, and street food stalls. It is prepared with beef tripe, called “toalla,” cabbage, ayote (squash), cassava, quequisque, chayote, corn, aromatic herbs, and spices. Meat in banana leavesIt is a traditional recipe from Nicaragua, very popular in León, and consists of beef, cassava, and green plantain cooked in banana leaves. It is usually accompanied by tomato salad, dressed with vinegar and lime juice. It is a mestizo dish resulting from the meeting of mestizo and Afro-American cuisines.Drunken soup It is a traditional Christmas dessert. It is made with marquesote de pinol, a Nicaraguan cake, prepared with egg, pinol, sugar, and lime zest, syrup, raisins, and plum. AjiacoAlthough it is a traditional dish of Latin America, the one from Nicaragua is made with beef and pork. It is a sweet and sour dish that includes quelite leaves, corn dough, broken rice, pineapple, and jocote. Pisque tamale It is a tamale made of nixtamalized corn, with salt and lard, cooked in banana leaves, which is accompanied with cheese, beans, and curd. Nicaraguan fritangaThey are the economical food you will find at street stalls where fried foods are served. Among the most popular dishes of fritangas are the fried green plantain with cheese, tacos, gallo pinto, and chicken and roasted pork enchiladas. Nicaraguan quesillo It is a typical and popular dish of Nicaraguan street food. It is made with a corn tortilla, quesillo (soft white cheese), pickled onion, and sour cream. Fried plantain slices They are like fried plantains in Mexico. In Nicaragua, they are accompanied with cheese and are usually eaten for breakfast or as a side dish for lunch. They are also a popular snack sold packed in stores. Pebre It is the traditional soup of Catrina, a locality in Masaya, made with pig's head and other parts of the pig such as tongue, liver, and other offals. It includes rice, garlic, onion, and achiote. Do you know more typical dishes from Nicaragua? Write to us in the comments.