What You Need to Know
The Mayans used various cooking techniques such as steaming, grilling, and grinding, which involved chemical reactions like the Maillard reaction and steam infusion.
Steps
- 1.
Pibipollo (Mukbil pollo) (Yucatán Peninsula): Underground pit cooking creates steam-sealed environment
- 2.
Chirmol (Guatemalan Highlands): Comal roasting develops complex charred tomato notes
- 3.
Jocón (Honduran Mayan communities): Stone-ground tomatillos create emulsion stability
The Science
Primary Reaction
Maillard reaction, steam infusion