The “Cochinita Pibil”
Cochinita pibil: the dish that defines a culture
The most famous dish in Yucatan is undoubtedly the cochinita pibil. While cochinita is a delight for the palate, the fame of this dish goes much further, and become a symbol of a culture and a heritage of this region.
To learn about the history, culture and customs of Yucatán, we need to immerse ourselves in its cuisine. Yucatecan cuisine is in many ways different from the rest of Mexico, mainly because of the great influence of the culture and the way in which this was mixed with Hispanic elements. It is said that Yucatan is the first place in the Americas where the Indians got their first taste of pork, this explains the presence of this type of meat in various traditional dishes such as cochinita pibil.
What is special about cochinita pibil? The custom of eating cochinita comprises traditional rite as the same dish. Beyond taste, the long hours of painstaking preparation, many tourists are perplexed by the apparent simplicity of the stew, what’s so special about a taco or steak pie with onions? The answer is everything around the fact: eat Cochinita. While it is a dish that is found even in the finest restaurants of Yucatecan food, the authentic Cochinita Pibil is only found in street stalls, markets, parks and departures of the churches on Sundays. Among young is a tradition, some would say a necessity, fall into a market before dawn after a night out for rest and count the occurrences of the event in front of a delicious loaf of French with cochinita with gentiles portions of habanero chile.
How do you prepare? The cochinita pibil pork with achiote (a red spice that is obtained from the seed of the tree of the same name) and other spices like cinnamon and cloves is marinated. The seasoned meat is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a tin in an oven underground (buried pibil means, in Maya). Typically, the funeral is a hole in the ground where the can with meat on stones and burning coal is placed, leaving the stew to cook all night.
Where to eat? Although you can have this dish in any restaurant serving regional food, the best places to eat are the markets or cochinita posts that are put on the streets on Sundays. In the Yucatan Peninsula from Chetumal to Campeche, is easy to find on weekends cochinita stalls that are installed in the corners, in parks or outside churches. The natives of every place always have their favorite places, and some of them are so popular that people do often queues for awhile to get his prized delicacy.
How do you eat? Yes , you can enjoy restaurants, with dishes served well and air conditioning, but the real flavor of Cochinita Pibil is in the experience of eating at street stalls , which includes the following:The tortillas should be corn and the bread for cake must be French bread stick, not the typical roll of central Mexico.The menu at the original positions is limited to tacos or tortas and is accompanied with horchata, or soda flavor. There may also be Lechón tacos or tortas , which is the same pig but achiote seasoning. Metallic Tables and plastic chairs should be the eat place to.For the natives of the region, the ideal Cochinita Pibil should be served hot, greasy onion, previously tanned on sour orange. A good diner should additionally take courage to flavor your cake or taco with a good amount of habanero chile, whether in sauce or piece (carefully, please!, Sir tourist) Depending on the local may have a waitress to take the order, but usually one approaches the bar and asking for food.The Cochinita Pibil is a typical and special dish. Sundays is traditionally eaten although you can find stalls that sell all week. The best experience is cochinita tacos with onions, habanero and xnipec (onion, pepper and chopped tomatoes and seasoned) with a cold horchata, at 7 in the morning (after leaving the club or a wedding) or 12 o’clock. Double ration of habanero chile help get rid of a good hangover.
