Cooking like a local in Belize

I still don't have a machete, nor do I necessarily plan to get one since I have no machete weilding skills. But in a matter of days the locals brought me coconuts, both green for better water and older ones for better meat. They open them for me and off I went making coconut dishes. I bought one of the Mennonite coconut graters and it works wonderfully. I haven't yet made coconut milk but it's on my list since I use it frequently. I also regularly use bananas that grow around the property. My favorite thing to make is a cookie that's only 3 ingredients, coconut, banana and oats. Mix it up, stick in the oven for 25 minutes and you've got a healthy treat.

Gotta try those cookies! You don't need a machete for the ripe ones, just a sharp stick sticking out of the ground. Have someone show you how to husk with a stick. Then tap around the circumference with a hammer to crack it in half. Coconut milk is easy. Just put the grated coconut in enough water barely to cover. Squeeze it handful at a time and then take it out. I usually put it in and squeeze it out again.

Stew chicken is easy. Rice and beans is really hard to get the flavor just right. Tortillas are also really hard, especially flour ones, but when I buy corn tortillas, garnaches are really easy, and my kids could live on them. Fry jacks take a while to get right, but it's worth it. I recommend the recipe on africanbites.com. I haven't tried making hudut, but I want to.

Green coconut can be easily opened. use a kitchen knife.

for local cuisines, i can only find rice and beans, beans and rice. fortunately i brought a pressure cooker for beans and now it takes 25 minutes for the beans to be cooked.
the only question i wanted to ask- apart from mung beans/lentilis , is there anyother bean/lentil i can find? of course not talking about red/black beans

Anyone else eating Moringa leaves or seeds? Pretty awesome superfood that grows here in Belize. https://miracletrees.org/

i have the tree at my home

I'm Going to plant some  more moringa trees i only have one. I want to use the leaves to make a natural anti bacterial soap from their leaves with coconut oil. Not commercially. and want to learn more about its nutritional value. I have the theories and have  studied them just need to test out in real life.

Hi
We make Belizean dishes like Salbutes, Fish Panades , Belizean stew chicken and pork tacos in our Spice Farm Restaurant in Golden Stream Village -Toledo District. I will be happy to share Recipe info with any interested person.
Wonder if Expats in the neighbourhood may have any interest in meeting once a week/month in our Cinnamon hall for socialising, share info or problem solving ( common to Expats). I can help with free space, free internet and free glass of Orange juice  (during season).
If there is enough interest we can plan

you may want to try neem tree too, i used in india from brushing teeth to drinking juice

Spiceman39 wrote:

Hi
We make Belizean dishes like Salbutes, Fish Panades , Belizean stew chicken and pork tacos in our Spice Farm Restaurant in Golden Stream Village -Toledo District. I will be happy to share Recipe info with any interested person.
Wonder if Expats in the neighbourhood may have any interest in meeting once a week/month in our Cinnamon hall for socialising, share info or problem solving ( common to Expats). I can help with free space, free internet and free glass of Orange juice  (during season).
If there is enough interest we can plan

Hi Spiceman, i'd Love to know how to make fish panades and salbutes. Also appreciate your offer to host expat meet ups but I'm too far north.

Not sure where you live but there are a range of classes available here in San Ignacio. We find as each month passes we are cooking more and more local dishes. Yes at times I crave food from 'home'  but I also believe if you live abroad you should live like a local and not try to turn the country into a replica of what you left otherwise what was the point of moving

If you google Belize recipes there are some really good vids on You tube, the panadas are great The cook takes you through all the details and you can always repeat things if you missed it. She has many different recipe videos, but I cant remember her name, or bring it up easily as they are on the big desk computer at home and I only have My lap top with me, I found them by googling.