Panades

The Cultural Story

Panades are the snack that powers Belize through the working day. They sell from street vendors in orange-painted carts and church fundraiser tables and school canteen windows, always fresh from the fryer, always served with a Scotch bonnet-spiked onion and tomato slaw that cuts through the richness of the masa. The name likely descends from "empanadas," but panades are strictly Belizean: smaller, thinner, always made with corn masa, and always eaten with their hands directly off the paper bag they come in. The filling is traditionally either black beans or fish, and both have their partisans. The bean version — refried black beans, well-seasoned, sometimes with a little recado for color — is the older and arguably purer version, connecting the dish directly to its Mesoamerican roots. The fish filling, shredded and spiced, is the result of Belize's coastal abundance. In Corozal, the northern Belize town closest to the Mexican border, the fillings sometimes include chicken or pork. But in Belize City and points south, it is fish or beans, end of argument. The slaw served with panades is not optional. It is the counterweight — raw onion, tomatoes, culantro, and Scotch bonnet chile, marinated briefly in lime juice until slightly wilted. The slaw brings acid and heat to the richness of the fried masa, and without it the snack is only half of what it should be. The whole thing — three panades, a spoonful of slaw, eaten while walking — takes about two minutes and costs almost nothing. Some of the best food experiences are like that.