Of corn and tacos: A Mayan food trail in the Mexican Caribbean

The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, also known as the Mexican Caribbean, offers a diverse range of Mayan cuisine that can be relished in the homes of locals, at a cave restaurant or an eatery specialising in corn

By Khursheed Dinshaw

Published: Dec 20, 2024 02:15:39 PM IST

Updated: Dec 20, 2024 02:29:02 PM IST

Julia Ken Tun shows how to prepare tamale at her village in Chacchoben, Quintana Roo, Mexico Image: Khursheed Dinshaw

Fresh red flowers from the garden are placed on a tablecloth printed with red flowers. White cloth napkins with blue crochet borders are twinning with the blue walls in the Mayan home of Julia Ken Tun. Julia is dressed in a Huipil, a traditional loose-fitting white tunic with flower motifs embroidered in bright colours. She warmly welcomes me into her home located in Chacchoben Village in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. Elina, her daughter is also with her.

Together, they have prepared our Mayan lunch of tamale, a traditional Mesoamerican dish made from corn dough stuffed with different fillings, wrapped and steamed in either corn husks or banana leaves. This is the first time I am going to eat a Mayan homecooked meal and I am excited and curious. Before we begin, Julia shows me how the mother-daughter duo prepared tamale. The dough is made from ground maize to which ground pumpkin seeds and finely chopped chaya (local spinach) are added. Banana leaves from the garden are used to wrap the tamale, which is then steamed. We relish the healthy meal with glasses of fresh orange juice prepared with oranges from Julia’s garden.

Post-lunch, we visit the garden. Instead of flowers, there are fruit trees—orange, coconut and mamey sapote, a bright orange fruit that is native to Mexico and is often used to make ice cream. The oranges grown here are also used to marinate chicken or pork. As we walk to the pig shed, some chickens scatter away and three well-fed pigs look at us. The garden also has a shed where the tamale was steamed using wooden logs.

After a while, I bid Julia and Elina farewell and proceed to my accommodation in the town of Tulum. It is late evening when I reach Playa Pocna Tulum Hotel, located inside the Jaguar National Park on the Caribbean Sea. The award-winning beachfront hotel has two restaurants—Ramon, a Mexican cuisine restaurant, and Kogure, serving Japanese food curated by Yusuke Kogure, Mexico’s eminent international chef.

The following day, I head to Cenotes Casa Tortugas, an eco-tourism park located in the heart of the Mayan jungle in Tulum. The park offers various activities ranging from swimming in cenotes, to ziplining to ATV bike rides. I pick my adrenaline adventure—the cenote—change into a swimsuit and strap on a life jacket. A cenote is a natural sinkhole that was used by ancient Mayans for procuring water and considered sacred. They are usually found only in the Yucatan Peninsula, which is where the state of Quintana Roo is located.

Baalmán is located in an ancient cave at Cenotes Casa Tortugas in Tulum. A salad made with locally-sourced ingredients and traditional beverages - an iced tea prepared using dried hibiscus flowers and a sweet non-alcoholic rice beverage Image: Khursheed Dinshaw

Swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the four cenotes calms my mind. It also makes me hungry. And from among the different eateries at Cenotes Casa Tortugas, I walk to Baalmán, a restaurant located in an ancestral cave that is millions of years old. It has been conditioned using stone from the same site while respecting the existing trees and natural cave formations. This reflects in the interiors of the earthy restaurant that has trees that open to the sky and ancient rock formations, including stalactites and stalagmites. Based on the Mayan language, Baalmán is a new word that means ‘to walk through a sheltered or secret place’.

I find the restaurant to be a celebration of nature and the mysticism of caves prevalent in Mayan culture. I order their signature guacamole and a salad made with locally-sourced corn, avocado, tomatoes and cucumber. Baalmán also serves the traditional dish of Vanilla Shrimp. Vanilla is native to Mexico and Mayans believed its aroma would enhance their communication with God. The restaurant has a diverse range of beverages ranging from traditional drinks, sodas, fresh waters to classic cocktails and wines.

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The mixology is inspired by the vibrant colours of the cave with herbal elements and homemade infusions adding their own special twist. There is Horchata with a house touch, Mezcalita, especially passion fruit and tamarind, fermented tepache made with pineapple and Mayan Margarita. Red and white wines preserved in the restaurant’s underground cellar are also served. It takes me a few minutes to narrow down my drinks. I choose two traditional beverages—Agua de Jamaica which is an iced tea prepared using dried hibiscus flowers and a sweet non-alcoholic beverage made from rice. Sipping my refreshing drinks, I admire the play of lights and video-mapping of the restaurant but am unable to stay for the pre-Hispanic music show.

The exterior of Tierra Ixim restaurant in Bacalar. Atole Negro, a hot drink made from cacao and corn dough Image: Khursheed Dinshaw

My Mayan culinary odyssey is going well as I head to Bacalar, the next destination. It is late afternoon by the time I check into Casa Hormiga Hotel, a 2024 Michelin Guide hotel. The sustainably aesthetic hotel is built using local materials with a deep-rooted respect for nature. Wishing to eat a Mayan dinner, I request the receptionist for recommendations. She immediately suggests Tierra Ixim, a restaurant revolving around corn. In fact, the very name is taken from Mayan language—ixim means corn. With a majority of the dishes being vegan and vegetarian, native corn is the star ingredient. The menu packs enough variety ranging from starters, soups, main course, and beverages to dessert.

Tierra Ixim makes their own dough and the tortillas served are made by hand daily. They also harvest their own mango, plantain and sprouts. I order Atole Negro, a hot drink made from cacao and corn dough, with the dough made by grinding nixtamalised corn. Through the drink, I get to enjoy two native ingredients that Mayans are known for—cacao and corn. The Enmoladas are corn tortillas, which are stuffed with smoked banana and served with a mole sauce. I confess, I have my apprehensions about how the dish will taste but the server recommends it, and it turns out to be a good choice. Tacos range from fish to cauliflower. For dessert, the passion fruit mousse is a clear winner. Passion fruit is commonly grown in the state of Quintana Roo. Bellyful, it is time to retire to my cosy room in Casa Hormiga Hotel.

At my last destination of Playa del Carmen, I once again experience why Quintana Roo is known as the Mexican Caribbean. I spend my time at Palmaïa—The House of AïA, a wellness hotel located on the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Beach walks on white powdery sand, gazing at turquoise water as far as the eye can see, practising yoga and pranayama fill my days. I even try my hand at drawing and water colour painting. It is an enriching experience to participate in a forgiveness ceremony and a gratitude ritual. My first ever meditative concert puts me in a zen-like state. The food is deliciously healthy, plant-based and nourishes my mind, body and soul. I feel more energetic, more aware and stress free at Palmaïa.

Kibi and Empanadas of Chaya and Edam Cheese at Amate 38. Image: Khursheed Dinshaw

The tranquillity and positivity of the hotel resonates within me as I set out to explore 5th Avenue, a popular street in Playa del Carmen known for its shops, stores, restaurants and bars. Amidst souvenir shopping, I chance upon Amate 38, a restaurant that serves Yucatecan cuisine and visit it the next day for breakfast. While entering, a customer seated in the al fresco area smiles at me, and I reciprocate.

I settle down on a table towards the back of the restaurant where a lady is making tortillas by hand. Amate 38 is known for using local and regional ingredients and I order Kibi and Empanadas of Chaya and Edam Cheese. While awaiting the order, I observe the tortilla maker—she takes some corn dough from a container in front of her and flattens it on a plastic sheet. Once it is thinly flattened and circular in shape, she transfers it to a griddle where at a time, six tortillas are cooking. Once each tortilla is cooked, she puts it in a container that is lined and covered with cloth to keep the them fresh. The server gets me some of these tasty tortillas with dips.

By this time, my order arrives. Kibi is a Mexican version of a falafel. The conical dish made from wheat with a stuffing of edam cheese is served with cured red onions. The empanadas are made with corn dough and chaya, the local spinach. They are filled with edam cheese, topped with fried tomato sauce and served with cured red onions. I heartily tuck in. Charcoaled chicken breast tacos and charcoaled beef fillet tacos are the other popular breakfast dishes. Much as I would like to try the chaya omelette, I am full. The wholesome breakfast is a good way to end my gastronomic Mayan journey in the Mexican Caribbean.