A Tasty Guide To Making Belizean Fish Panades

Belizean panades are a beloved national treasure, combining Spanish and indigenous flavours in a crispy, juicy, authentic feast for the senses. Essentially, panades are Belize's answer to the empanada: a deep-fried, crescent-shaped corn flour dough, filled with white fish or beans and topped with a spicy sauce.

To make Belizean fish panades, you'll need to prepare the dough, the filling, and the sauce. For the dough, you'll need corn flour, water, recado rojo, lard or corn oil, and baking powder. Mix the ingredients, knead the dough, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Then, roll the dough into golf-ball-sized balls and flatten them into discs. For the filling, you can use cooked, deboned, and mashed fish, or refried beans. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each disc, fold the dough over, and seal the edges. For the sauce, shred some cabbage and onion, and mix with vinegar, water, and pepper. Heat oil in a pan, and deep-fry the panades until golden brown. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Making the dough

To make the dough for Belizean fish panades, you will need:

• 3-4 cups of corn flour (or 2 cups if using masa harina)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of water
• 3-4 tablespoons of recado rojo (or 1/2 teaspoon if using red recado paste)
• 1/2 cup of lard or corn oil
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• Salt to taste

You can also add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the dry ingredients if desired.

First, sift together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then, slowly mix in the recado and water by hand. Knead the dough until it comes together, adding water 1/4 cup at a time if the mixture is too dry. The dough should not be too wet or sticky, but it also shouldn't be dry or crumbly.

Once the dough is mixed, let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Then, form the dough into balls, rolling it in your hands to make them golf-ball-sized.

Preparing the filling

The filling is what makes your Belizean fish panades truly special, so take your time with this step!

First, decide on your filling. While the traditional choice is smoked bonefish (known locally as "macabee"), this is now a protected species due to overfishing. You can use any fish of your choice, smoked or not, or even a combination of fish, beans, and cheese.

If you're going for the classic fish filling, start by removing any bones from your fish. Heat a skillet on medium heat and add some olive oil. Add diced onions and, once softened, add minced garlic. Add your fish and spices to taste, and fry for around 10-15 minutes, stirring with a fork. Finally, add some cilantro in the last minute of cooking. You should be left with reddish, crumbled fish.

For a bean filling, heat oil in a skillet and fry diced onions and garlic until soft. Add your cans of beans, with liquid, and fry on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then, use a potato masher to mash the beans in the pan. Add your spices and cilantro and mix with a spatula. Be careful not to overcook, as the beans will dry out and thicken too much. If you want a super-smooth texture, you can use a mixer instead of mashing by hand, and add a little water if the mixture is too thick.

You can also add cheese, chicken, or even pumpkin to your filling for a less conventional twist.

Once your filling is ready, it's time to assemble your panades!

Assembling the panades

Now that you've prepared your dough and filling, it's time to assemble your Belizean fish panades!

First, roll your dough into balls that are roughly the size of a golf ball. Then, using a tortilla press, flatten each ball into a disc. If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use a rolling pin or the palm of your hand. It's easiest to use plastic on either side of the tortilla press or rolling pin; cut-open ziplock bags work well for this.

Once your dough is flattened, it's time to add the filling. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each disc. Be careful not to overfill, as you don't want the filling to leak out while cooking.

Next, fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal. The panades should now be shaped like a half-moon. Repeat this process until all your dough and filling is used up.

Place the assembled panades on a clean dish towel and prepare your oil for frying. Heat a large skillet or deep pan with enough vegetable or coconut oil for deep frying. You want to make sure there is enough oil to cover the panades completely.

Once your oil is hot, carefully place the panades into the oil and fry until they are golden brown on both sides. This should take about 5 minutes per side. Be careful not to overheat the oil, as this will burn the outside of the panades without cooking the inside.

When the panades are done frying, place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Finally, serve your panades with a side of hot sauce, fresh salsa, or a traditional onion sauce made from vinegar, onions, habanero peppers, and salt. Enjoy your delicious Belizean fish panades!

Frying the panades

Now for the fun part: frying!

First, heat a large skillet on medium heat with enough oil for deep frying. Alternatively, heat your deep fryer appliance. Prepare a large container lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Once your oil is hot, carefully place your panades in the oil and fry on both sides until golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes on each side. If the oil is too hot, the tortilla will burn on the outside and not cook through. You'll know the oil is hot enough when it sizzles immediately upon adding a panade.

When the panades are done frying, place them on their tips in the container to drain the excess oil.

Now, your Belizean fish panades are ready to be served! Top them with the cabbage and onion sauce, or the hot pepper onion sauce, for a crunchy, spicy kick.

Making the sauce

The sauce for Belizean fish panades is a type of hot pepper onion sauce, also known as cortido. It is made with onions, vinegar, and habanero peppers. You can also add spices like whole allspice seeds and cilantro.

Start by shredding half a head of cabbage thinly using a grater or a food processor. Dice one medium onion into small pieces. You can also add a chopped hot pepper—habanero, serrano, or jalapeno—to the mix. If you want to reduce the strong taste of the onions, you can boil some water, let the diced onions soak for a few minutes, and then strain and discard the water before making the sauce.

Mix the cabbage and onions with salt, black pepper, vinegar, and room-temperature water, and cover and set aside. This sauce will give your panades a crunchy, spicy, and sour kick.

Frequently asked questions