Nacatamal

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Nacatamal is a type of traditional Nicaraguan tamale made with corn dough which is stuffed with chicken or pork, then wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed. This savory dish usually also contains ingredients such as bell peppers, garlic, potatoes, rice, bitter orange, onions, mint, and chile peppers. On special occasions, nacatamal is often enriched by the addition of prunes, raisins, capers, and olives. It is typically prepared on weekends and served for breakfast, paired with bread and a cup of coffee on the side. The name of the dish is derived from the Nahuatl words nacatl , which means meat , and tamalli , which means tamale . Originally, the dish was prepared with turkey, iguana, tomatoes, annatto, and deer meat wrapped in corn leaves, but during the colonial time, the meat changed to pork and chicken, while plantain leaves substituted corn leaves.