Guanime facts for kids
Guanimes are a special food from Puerto Rico with a very long history. They were first made even before Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. Guanimes are a bit like tamales and hallacas, which are popular dishes in other parts of Latin America.
History of Guanimes
The original Guanimes were created by the Taíno people who lived in Puerto Rico long ago. They would make a dough, called masa, from cornmeal. This dough was then wrapped in corn husks. Sometimes, they would put fillings inside, like meat, nuts, fish, or beans. After wrapping, these packages were boiled.
The Taínos also liked to mix mashed root vegetables and different kinds of squash into their cornmeal dough. This ancient way of preparing Guanimes eventually led to another very popular Puerto Rican dish called pasteles.
How Guanimes Are Made Today
To make the dough for Guanimes today, dry corn kernels are first boiled until they are soft. Then, they are left in water overnight. Once the corn is even softer, it is mashed with salt, lard, broth, and coconut milk. This mixture becomes a dough that looks a bit like bread dough.
A small amount of this dough is placed onto a banana leaf. It is shaped into small logs, then wrapped and tied at both ends. After being wrapped, these Guanimes are boiled in salted water. Traditionally, they are served with a stew made from salted cod fish.
Different Kinds of Guanimes
There are a few different versions of Guanimes:
- Guanimes de Plátano: These Guanimes use green plantains instead of corn. The other ingredients are usually the same.
- Guanimes dulces: These are sweet Guanimes. They are made with sweet plantains, cornmeal, milk, coconut milk, raisins, vanilla, anise seeds, and either honey or molasses.
- Rusiao de yuca: This version uses cassava instead of corn or plantains. These Guanimes are usually steamed on a grill instead of being boiled.
