Nicaragua is a country of contrasts, where nature’s beauty and cultural diversity blend with a complex history. It’s a place with a bit of everything in its backyard: gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests, massive volcanoes, and peaceful lakes. But the real star of the show is Lake Nicaragua – it’s the biggest freshwater lake in all of Central America! The lake is home to the iconic Ometepe Island, formed by two volcanoes, which is a popular destination for eco-tourism.

Nicaragua’s got a real mix of influences in its culture, like a blend of indigenous, European, and Afro-Caribbean vibes. You’ll see this melting pot in the folk traditions, art, music, and dancing. Imagine marimba tunes filling the air at festivals and folks rocking colorful, traditional outfits.

Things you didn’t know about Nicaragua:

• Lake Nicaragua is the only freshwater lake in the world known to contain freshwater sharks. These sharks, known as bull sharks, have adapted to the lake’s freshwater environment and can be found swimming in its waters.
• Petroglyphs of Ometepe: Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua is home to a large number of ancient petroglyphs. These rock carvings date back to pre-Columbian times and are believed to have been created by the indigenous peoples who inhabited the island.
• Folklore and Legends: Nicaragua has a rich folklore with various legends and mythical creatures, including the famous “La Carreta Nagua,” a ghostly oxcart that is said to roam the streets at night. . This wagon of death has scared indigenous Nicaraguans for centuries and is one of those stories that freaks you out, makes sure all children stay in bed, and makes you ignore any bumps you hear in the night.
• Nicaragua has a vibrant musical culture, and one of its traditional instruments is the marimba. The marimba is a xylophone-like instrument made of wooden bars and is often featured in Nicaraguan folk music

Nacatamales, I have been wanting to make a version of tamales for a while now! so I am glad i finally got around to it. The word Nacatamal comes from Nahuatl nacatl, meaning meat, and tamalli, which is tamal (meat tamal). It is one of the oldest dishes in the history of the country and its origins are recorded before the Spanish Conquest. However, the way it was prepared evolved with Colonization. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the dough was only seasoned with herbs, achiote and tomato or deer meat were added, wrapped in bananaleaves and steamed. After the conquest, the pig began to be used and the butter stirred with the dough. The pig soon became the meat of the poor. For indigenous people, it was cheaper and easier to raise pigs than cattle. 

There difference between the Mexican tamales and the Nacatamales is the wrapping. The Mexican tamales are wrapped in cornhusks and the Nicaraguan in bananaleaves. Also the size, a Nacatamel is an entire meal in itself! As for the Mexican variety is smaller and eaten as a snack or sidedish.

Ingredients:

Pork Marinade:

• 900 gr pork butt
• Achiotte
• Garlic
• Juice of 1 orange
• Salt & pepper

Masa:

• 450 gr masa harina
• Aji amarillo hotsauce
• 1 onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 200 ml oil
• 2 sprigs of mint
• 1 orange
• Salt & pepper

Wrapping:

• Bananaleaves

Filling:

• 2 tomatoes sliced
• 1 onion
• 1 cup of rice
• 1 potato sliced
• Mint
• Habanero

Recipe:

1. Cut your meat into bite size pieces.
2. Marinate your meat with all the marinade ingredients in your fridge overnight.
3. In a blender, add one onion, five cloves of garlic, aji amarillo hot sauce, mint, orangejuice and blend it together.
4. Add this blended mixture to you masa harina with water, salt and pepper. Kneading it until you get a dough.
5. Pour the moist dough mixture into a large pot and cook over medium heat. Stir the Masa dough so that it doesn’t stick. If it becomes dry, add some water. Cook until Masa has thickened.
6. Soak one cup of rice in water and add salt.
7. Peel the potatoand cut them into slices. Put them in a bowl or container of water to soak.
8. Slice the tomatoes and set aside.
   
9. Slice the onion and set aside.
   
10. Slice the habanepeppers and set aside.
    
11. Soak mint.
12. Spread aluminum foil out on your workstation. Place the banana leaf over the foil. Wipe the leaves with a damp paper towel.
13. Add a big spoonful of Masa to the center of the leaf and top it with one piece of meat. Add a spoonful of soaked rice, one slice of tomato, one slice of onion, a couple of pepper slices, mint, and one slice of potato.
14. First, wrap the banana leaf securing the filling, then wrap the foil around the banana leaf and tie it with manila rope—place it in an empty pot. Repeat the steps until you’ve made all the Nacatamales desired.