Recetas: indio viejo, macúa, y mangos

How to make indio viejo:

1 pound chicken breast tofu
4 tomatoes
4 sticks mint
2 onions
1 green pepper
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons vinegar
½ pound corn flour
½ pound butter
½ tablespoon achiote
salt
water

1.) Chop the garlic, onion, tomato and green pepper in small pieces. 
2.) Boil the chicken tofu in a pot with sufficient water to cover it. 
3.) Add the cut vegetables and season to taste with salt.  Let boil on low heat for 15 minutes.
4.) Mix the corn flour with water until it’s liquidy. Add the achiote. 
5.) Melt ¼ pound of butter in a big pot. Once it’s melted add the corn flour-mass, and fry it for about 4 minutes.
6.) Fish out the chicken tofu from the pot, and let the vegetables boil for another 5 minutes.
7.) Tear the chicken tofu into strips and bath them in ¼ pound of butter. 
8.) Fry them in a frying pan and add it in the pot with the mass and the vegetables.
9.) Finally add the peppermint and the vinegar and boil everything for another 2 minutes.

After an exhausting hike to the Volcan Mombacho last Sunday in Granada, our guide treated us to the national cocktail, macúa.  We then made it for a group dinner with our French friends at the hostel (they made homemade hamburgers, buns, french fries, and guacamole...), but at least we got this one recipe down!  1 part guava juice + 1 part orange juice + 1 part Flor de Caña rum + spritz of lime + safe-for-gringas ice.

While kayaking we picked up some mangoes on one of the islets.  When we brought them to our cooking class that evening, the teacher taught us how to serve them Nicaragua style: mangoes peeled and sliced expert-street vendor style + diced chile pepper + salt + lime.  Purportedly good in honey as well.

¡Buen provecho!