Gastronomía

ARROZ CON CARNE ENSOPADA

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Beef Chuck Roast -- cubed
• 8 Cups Water
• 1 Large Tomato -- cubed
• 1 Large Onion -- thinly sliced
• 3 Cloves Garlic -- thinly sliced
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper -- finely chopped
• 1 Cup Raw Rice
• 2 Tablespoons Mint Leaves -- finely chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Cup Sour Orange Juice

Directions Cook beef in water for 1 hour or until tender. Add enough water to the broth to make 8 cups of liquid. Add remainining ingredients. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Serve hot with tortillas.

Serves 6

FRITANGA

Ingredients

• 1 Small Onion -- finely chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic -- finely chopped
• 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
• 4 Cups Cold Cooked Rice
• 1/2 Pound Beef -- cubed
• 1 Small Cooked Chayote -- cubed
• 1 Small Tomato -- finely chopped
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Directions Fry onion, garlic and beef in oil over moderate heat until beef is well browned. Add rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and fry for 3 minutes. Serve warm with tortillas.

Serves 6

GUATEMALA FOOD

The cuisine of Guatemala reflects the multicultural nature of Guatemala, in that it involves food that differs in taste depending on the region. Guatemala has 22 departments (or divisions), each of which has very different typical foodstuffs. For example Antigua Guatemala is well known for its candy which makes use of many local ingredients fruits, seeds and nuts along with honey, condensed milk and other traditional sweeteners. Antigua's candy is very popular when tourists visit the country for the first time, and is a great choice in the search for new and interesting flavors.

Many traditional foods are based in Maya cuisine and prominently feature corn, chiles and beans as key ingredients. Various dishes may have the same name as a dish from a neighboring country, but may in fact be quite different for example the enchilada or quesadilla, which are nothing like their Mexican counterparts.

There are also foods that it is traditional to eat on certain days of the week - for example, by tradition it is known that on Thursday, the typical food is "paches" which is like a tamale made with a base of potato, and on Saturday it is traditional to eat tamales. Certain dishes are also associated with special occasions, such as fiambre for All Saints Day on November 1 and tamales which are common around Christmas.