While traveling in The Yucatan, as I marched from pyramid to pyramid and cenote to cenote, I was also on the search for some indigenous food. For the most part I had been living on tacos and quesadillas (which are my mainstays even back in the States), along with the occasional ensalada, café con leche,and the bunch of Luna Bars that I had stashed in my backpack for emergencies while hunting down Maya antiquities.

The cuisine of The Yucatan peninsula is as wide and as varied as its inhabitants, from the ancient Maya to the European, and it even has some Arabic and Asian influences. But many recipes carry the flavors of traditional Maya foods and a number of indigenous ingredients. Chaya, corn, onions, tomato, pork, turkey, deer, chicken, the habanero pepper, honey, and the red spice called achiote, all have a place in the Yucatan kitchen.

I had seen quite a few Yucatecan dishes on menus throughout my trip, but It wasn’t until I arrived in Tulum that I actually got to sit down and savor a few at the very cabanas at which I was staying, Zahra.

Ensalada Maya was a surprise. Described as being made of fresh chaya leaves (Mayan spinach), corn kernels, and vinaigrette, I was taken aback when this dish arrived hot. The ingredients, including onions that weren’t mentioned on the menu, were stir fried in the vinaigrette. I’m sure that it was my limited thinking in expecting a cold salad. It was a wonderful meal and surprisingly refreshing.

Sopa de Lima, or Lime Soup, is just that. A wonderful soup made from chicken stock and lime, containing tortilla strips, chicken, avocado and herbs and served hot. Having avocado in hot soup completely changes the avocado’s flavor. Quite delicious!

Caldo Xochitl, or Xochitl Soup is a hot chicken and rice soup that comes with a side dish of raw onions, tomatoes and chopped cilantro that is meant to be added to the soup once it is served. Very delicious and nice for a light meal. On a day trip to Valladolid, and after hiking around Ek-Balam, I got to sample another at El Meson del Marquis on the zocolo.

Pollo Pibil, Chicken Pibil, a dish made from chicken that has been slowly roasted in banana leaves, leaving the meat moist and rich and falling off the bones. Smothered in sautéed onions and peppers and served with a side of rice and steamed vegetables. I have also seen this dish on other menus using pork (Cochinita Pibil) instead of chicken.

And a few other items to look for on a Yucatecan menu:

Crema de Cilantro: cream of cilantro soup

Panuchos: tortillas with chicken and beans

Salbutes: corn and flour tortillas

Poc-Chuc: a pork dish

Tikin-Xic: baked fish in banana leaves with achiote sauce

Puchero de Tres Carnes: a three meat stew made from beef, ham, and hen.

Leon Negra: a really good, dark, Cervesa Yucateca :)

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