Panades are a Belizean street snack of corn-masa turnovers filled with fish or beans, fried and topped with a pickled-onion curtido. Of mestizo-Maya origin.
Bite a panade and the crisp corn shell cracks into a savory, achiote-orange fish filling, then a forkful of fiery pickled onion on top. Bite: the masa is crunchy and corn-toasty, the fish savory and faintly earthy from achiote, the habanero curtido sharp, acidic, and burning. Hot, small, and addictive — eaten by the bagful from Belizean roadside stands.
An achiote-seasoned masa dough fries into a crisp corn shell that holds the filling; sealing the edges keeps oil out. The fish is pre-cooked and seasoned so it only needs to heat through. The habanero-onion curtido is essential — its acid and heat cut the fried richness.
Variations
With refried beans instead of fish. With chaya greens. Spicier curtido. Larger as a meal. With a tomato salsa. Baked instead of fried.
On the Palate
Where Panades sits in the Belizean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 5How it's made
8 steps · 40 min active + 20 min waiting
- 110 min
Make a masa dough from 400 g masa harina, 1 tsp achiote, salt, and warm water; knead smooth.
- 28 min
Flake 300 g cooked fish and season with onion, achiote, and a little broth.
- 38 min
Pickle 1 sliced onion with habanero, vinegar, lime, and salt; rest.
- 45 min
Press balls of masa flat into small discs.
- 58 min
Place a spoon of fish on each disc; fold into a half-moon and seal the edges.
Watch outPinch the half-moon edges tight and sealed — any gap lets hot oil rush in and the filling blow out while frying.
- 65 min
Heat oil to 180°C.
Watch outGet the oil to a steady frying heat before the panades go in — too cool and the masa shell drinks oil and turns greasy instead of crisp.
- 74 min
Deep-fry the panades 3-4 min until crisp and golden; drain.
Watch outFry until the shell is deep golden and crisp, then drain well — pull them pale and they stay soft and oily inside.
- 82 min
Serve hot, topped with the onion-habanero curtido.
