We all know why you travel. There are iconic sights and attractions, but traveling is more than just seeing other morsels of the world foreign to you. It's about tasting those morsels as well.  Each place worth going to has its own iconic dish as well, the countries of Central America are no exception. Of course, going to these places is the best way to experience these dishes, but there's no hurt in getting a little tasting before hand, right?

 

Guatemala: Pepián

Flickr: David Amsler

If you're like me, you don't need to hear much more than meaty and spicy to immediately be sold on something. If you need more, Pepián is not only meaty, but takes an odd twist with vegetables and fruit in it as well. Described as thick and hearty, it's found both in the street stalls and in the restaurants of Guatemala. Chicken, beef, or pork, you can have it with whatever meat you prefer. What makes it even more interesting is that it's seen as one of the oldest mixtures of Mayan and Spanish influence in Guatemalan society. Intrigued? Click on the link and scroll down for the recipe.

 

Nicaragua & Costa Rica: Gallo Pinto

Flickr: Lablascovegmenu

It's unclear who made the dish first, but it's so good neither country is going to back down from calling it their national dish. Typically served as a main part of breakfast, Gallo Pinto is basically rice and beans stir fried together. How you season it and what you serve it with is totally up to you, as there are a lot of possible variations. If you want a little more detail on how to make it - here's a recipe.

Panama: Sancocho

Flickr: Pravin Premkumar

Long night out in Panama City? A stew, Sancocho comes advertised as a great way to fend off a nasty hangover. It too is meaty and filled with vegetables, but milder than Pepián. Although that can be fixed with just a little Panamanian hot sauce. Sancocho is served with a side of rice which you can keep on the side, or add to the stew so that there are no wasted bites. Enjoy it at home with this recipe.

 

Honduras: Plato Tipico

Not worried about portion sizes? Hey, you're traveling, why should you be? That's the spirit. You're going to love plato tipico, as it's pretty much just heaps of food ready for you to devour. Every restaurant will have their own slight variation, but the basic goodness is beef, pork, lightly fried plantains, rice, beans, and a salad. You won't be needing desert afterwards, to say the least. Want to feed a small village? Here's the recipe.

 

El Salvador: Pupusa

Flickr: Edsel Little

Another national dish with Mayan origins, the Pupusa is a corn flour or rice flour pattie always filled with cheese, and your choice of a ground pork paste called chicharron, refried beans, or a local flower bud called loroco. This has been in the works for over 1,400 years, so whatever you put in the pattie is going to be delicious. Other options include a local squash called ayote, or garlic. Gorge on some history with the recipe you'll find here.

 

Belize: Up to you!

Belize does not have its own distinctive national dish, which means I can just give you a sampling of Belizean cuisine to choose from. Belize benefits from having some Creole influence in both it's culture and cuisine, and the tasty food that results reflects that. Chimole is a very popular stew that can be found in restaurants around the country. Also called "Black Dinner" because of the black recacdo paste used in it, it's spicy and meaty and delicious. Here's a recipe for that. Another thing to try is the Belizean chicken stew. It's very similar to chimole, except that it uses red recado instead of black recado. Here's a recipe.

 

Title photo - Flickr: CarlosVanVegas