Guatemalan cuisine

[2] Maize is an important staple food in Guatemalan cuisine, and has been cultivated in the region since ancient times.

Pork and beef were later introduced by Spanish colonization in the 16th century, supplementing the local meat sources of turkey, other poultry, and fish.

Many Guatemalan dishes have the suffix '-ik' as part of their name; -ik means chili in several Mayan languages spoken in the country.

The key variations include the ingredients in the masa or dough (corn, potatoes, rice), in the filling (meat, fruits, nuts), and what it is wrapped with (leaves, husks).

Additionally Guatemalan tamales use cooked masa, which is prepared in a time-consuming process that requires a significant amount of work.

Culture of Guatemala
Tamales are a traditional food eaten in Guatemala on special occasions, especially during Christmas time and other holidays. They are pouches of masa usually filled with meat, such as pork and chicken , but can also be filled with vegetables such as corn and potatoes , and are usually wrapped in banana leaves.
Black and red tamales in Guatemala
Chicharrones in Guatemala