An Overview of Chiapas Cuisine
Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, offers a varied regional cuisine that proudly showcases its indigenous roots along with its Spanish influences. The region’s cooking is heavily reliant on local ingredients such as corn, beans, chickpeas, and wild herbs. These staples form the backbone of many traditional dishes with each area of the state boasting its own specialties, ranging from cured meats to local cheeses and unique tamales.
Specialties of Different Regions
San Cristóbal de las Casas, a city well-known for its bright yellow, saffron-flavored tamales, exemplifies the region’s distinctive flavors. Similarly, the town of Simojovel de Allende offers the Mayan-influenced ball tamale, which is made of two types of cornmeal and flavored with Simojovel chiles. Across the state, tamales filled with corn and chipilín, a wild herb commonly found in Chiapas, are particularly popular.
Festive and Holiday Dishes
Many of Chiapas’s favorite dishes are closely associated with holidays and religious observances. For instance, the Spanish-influenced sopa de pan (or bread soup) is a Holy Week specialty. This unique soup contains sweet bread, raisins, plantains, and green beans seasoned with spices, including saffron and thyme. Another festive dish is cochita horneado, or baked whole pig, which is traditionally served at the annual January fiesta in the city of Chiapa de Corzo.
Chimbo: A Sweet Treat
Chimbo is a convent sweet, made from bread pieces soaked in a syrup of honey, cinnamon, and anise. Originally served in churches to sustain the faithful during long services, this delightful sweet is now enjoyed throughout the state of Chiapas, completing the area’s rich culinary tapestry.
