From the land of Maya

By Navjyoti Dalal

In this new column, Home Is Where The Hearth Is, we shine the spotlight on the immigrant experience. And as a cultural exchange get them to share food recipes they hold dear. This week let’s meet, and welcome Francisco Ixtamalic and Leslie Perez, the only Guatemalan couple living in Athlone.

Until recently, fresh beans or cantaloupes in the grocery aisles of Dunnes Stores were the only things that could be traced to Guatemala, in Athlone. In February this year, a couple with their two boys, dethroned the beans and cantaloupes. IT professional Francisco Ixtamalic, with wife Leslie Perez, and sons Javier (15) and Diego (10) are the latest addition from Guatemala to Athlone. In all likelihood, theirs is the only family from the Central American nation residing in our town.

Francisco moved with family to Ireland after his employer of ten years, Ericsson, offered to relocate him to Ireland for a project. The Ixtamalic-Perez family arrived in Athlone in February this year. Though their stay in Ireland hasn't been long yet, they are enamoured by the Emerald Isle, and see themselves building their lives here.

La Vida Sumpango

An ancient culture, the Maya civilisation, thrived in central and Latin America. But if there was an epicentre to this culture, it would be Guatemala.

Francisco belongs to the Kaqchikel language speaking community of Mayas. He grew up in Sumpango, a town 1500m above sea-level in central Guatemala, which is a region steeped in nature and culture. Central and southern Guatemala features a mountainous terrain, with 37 volcanoes, three of which are in constant active state. The country, flanked by the South Pacific Ocean on the west and Carribean Sea on the east coast, boasts of many natural and heritage (especially Mayan temples) sites.

The natural beauty is complemented by colourful cultural celebrations. In Francisco's words, Guatemalans live to enjoy, party, and celebrate the many festivals.

"For instance, Lent is being observed by Christians world over. In my town, each week there's a procession carried out by different churches, and people throng to it in hordes," says Francisco.

His town, Sumpango, is famed for the Barriletes (kites) festival celebrated on All Saints Day on November 1. "It is similar to the Day of the Dead festival, celebrated by the Mexicans. We believe that the day has a very thin veil between our world and the world of our ancestors who have passed on. Their spirit visits us on this day. We build beautiful kites and fly them in the sky to guide the spirits home. Of course, with time, the festival has scaled up into a competition of the grandest, most beautiful, most creative kites," Francisco shares.

To Greener Pastures

Leslie, an industrial engineer, has a very warm smile. Even though she has a limited knowledge of English, and I have no more than two words of Spanish in my vocabulary, her smile bridges the gap.

"I want to learn English, perhaps take English classes. But I am happy to have made a Mexican friend who speaks Spanish," says Leslie.

She is amused at the low number of motorbikes on the road in Ireland. "We saw our first motorbike in two months on St Patrick's Day parade," she remarks. There are other differences that Francisco has observed.

"Things are very organised here. Like, the bus stops only at the designated stops, not if one waves at it in the middle of the road, as it happens in Guatemala. Also, the car windows are clear, not tinted or black, as in my country. Athlone feels very safe and secure. We can take a walk at any time of the day, even after hours, without the fear of being mugged," he chips in.

The couple is happy for their children's education prospects, and the clean air of the town. "The water, though, is very hard; I can taste the minerals," says Francisco. The family has taken well to the weather too, for they grew up in the mountains of Sumpango, but are just coming to terms with the starkly different food culture.

"Corn is our staple grain, we use it in every meal in the form of tortillas. We have many varieties of corn, all colour-coded. Our food has a special relationship with chilies too. Thankfully we have found some varieties selling at M&S.

The meat we eat the most is pork. We eat all parts of the pork, even hands and tail," says Francisco, whose search for the right tortillas, made with all corn, continues. It might be a while, given theirs is the only Guatemalan family in town. I suggest he makes a trip to the Brazilian goods shop off Church Street.

Recipe: Pepián de Pollo (Guatemalan spiced Chicken Stew)

This heartwarming stew is filled with heat from the chilies. The recipe lends itself to any version one may want, from vegetarian to red meat. One can replace the chicken With other meats, or even mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Francisco suggests that if you can’t find dried chile pasa, any mild dried chili can work as a substitute.

Ingredients:

4 pieces of chicken (thighs, drumsticks, or breast) 2 medium tomatoes 2 tomatillos (can be substituted with more tomatoes or green tomatillos) 1 dried chile pasa (can be substituted with pasilla or ancho chilies) 1/2 onion chopped 2 garlic cloves 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1/4 cup pepitoria (pumpkin seeds) 2 tablespoons corn flour (white or yellow corn flour works) 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 1 carrot, sliced (optional) 4 cups chicken broth or water 1 sprig of cilantro

A Guatemalan meal is incomplete without corn tortillas. The cuisine uses all types of corn, depending on their texture, taste and flavour. The black corn tortillas are a favourite in Francisco’s home. If you cannot find black cornmeal, have the spiced chicken stew with rice instead. The stew has heat from the chilies, but richness from sesame and pumpkin seeds.

Salt and pepper to taste In a large pot, boil the chicken in the remaining broth for about 15 minutes. Add the blended sauce to the chicken and cook over medium heat. Add the potatoes and carrot. Simmer for 20–25 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the stew thickens. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cilantro, and turn off the heat. Serve with white rice or corn tamales.

Instructions:

Dry roast the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds until golden brown. Set aside. In the same pan, roast the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, and dried chile until slightly charred. Blend the roasted ingredients with the corn flour and a little broth until you get a thick sauce.