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Sikil pak
Maya toasted pumpkin-seed dip with roasted tomato and habanero (sikil p'aak)
In Yucatec Maya, sikil means squash seed and p'aak means tomato, and that is almost all there is to this pale, coarse dip from the Yucatán Peninsula. Cooks in Mérida and the villages around it toast the seeds on a comal until they pop, grind them with charred tomato, chives and a little habanero, and serve the dip with tostadas or crisp tortilla chips before a meal. It tastes nutty, smoky and fresh at the same time, and is naturally vegan. Chef's tip: roast the habanero whole and add it a little at a time; you can always grind in more, but you can't take the heat back out.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toast 5 ½ oz hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, stirring all the time, for 4–5 minutes, until they swell and start to pop. Common mistake: letting them turn brown; they go bitter. Tip them onto a plate as soon as most have popped.
5 minStep 2: In the same pan, roast 2 ripe tomatoes and 1 habanero chilli over a medium-high heat, turning, until blackened in patches and soft, about 8 minutes.
8 minStep 3: Grind the seeds in a food processor or spice grinder until they look like fine sand.
1 minStep 4: Add the tomatoes, a quarter of the habanero (seeds removed), 2 tbsp sour (Seville) orange juice and ¾ tsp salt and blend to a thick, slightly rough paste, like hummus. Add more habanero to taste and a splash of water if too thick.
2 minStep 5: Stir in 1 small bunch chives and 1 handful coriander. Serve at room temperature with 7 oz corn tostadas or totopos (corn chips). It keeps for 2 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sikil pak take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint.
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