10 mayan recipes

Mayan chili simmers ground beef with green chilies, kidney beans, sweet corn, and a splash of tequila for a smoky, slightly boozy spin on classic chili night.

Mayan truffles roll dark chocolate ganache spiked with Kahlua and instant coffee into rich cocoa-dusted bites. The coffee deepens the chocolate, the liqueur warms it, and the double dip in melted chocolate gives each truffle a snap.

Nopales con huevos y serranos: Mexican scrambled eggs with cactus paddle strips, fiery serrano chiles, tomato, cilantro, and melted Monterey Jack. A hearty breakfast from Mexico's high desert tradition.

Grilled mahi mahi with a spicy Asian pear salsa of plum sauce, serrano chili, cilantro, and honey. A Pacific Rim fish dinner in 40 minutes.

Indian-style fried potatoes simmered in a tomato curry with asafetida, fenugreek, fennel, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Bold, layered spice work over crispy potato cubes.

Traditional Maya corn and bean tamales with masa flour and slow-cooked beans. A 4-ingredient vegan recipe wrapped in corn husks and steamed for an authentic Mesoamerican meal.

Chocolate is usually thought of as a guilty pleasure but for the Maya civilisation and their ancestors it was a daily staple; the Mayans murals and ceramics capture the abundance of chocolate available to them. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the cacao tree which flourished in southern Mexico. Recent studies found that cocoa extract, Lavado, could have a positive effect on cognitive decline, other studies indicate chocolate could help lower the risk of developing heart disease. Let’s celebrate the history and the benefits of chocolate with this enticing, vegan, recipe on the 13th September – National Chocolate Day.

Authentic Yucatán cochinita pibil with achiote-marinated pork, banana leaf wrap and habanero orange salsa. Traditional Mayan pit-style slow-roasted pork for tacos.

Pollo pibil: chicken quarters rubbed with Yucatan recado colorado, wrapped in banana leaves, and slow-baked until the meat falls apart. A Mayan pit-roasting tradition adapted for the home oven.

Vermouth-poached monkfish or halibut nestled in golden shortcrust pastry shells with a zesty dill and mustard mayo. An elegant seafood starter that comes together in just 20 minutes.