Mole de Platano

Because Guatemala is the birthplace of chocolate, you've probably been hoping for a chocolate dish to be included in this guide to Guatemalan cuisine. This is where the Mole de Platano makes its grand entrance. Mole de platano is a traditional Guatemalan dessert that is ideal for chocolate connoisseurs. It's made with mole, a chocolate sauce, fried plantains, cinnamon, chili, and bell peppers sprinkled with sesame seeds.

The dish is so important to Guatemala's culinary heritage that the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and Sport designated it as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2007. Guatemala, as previously stated, is regarded as the birthplace of chocolate. The cacao tree and its beans were so revered by the ancient Mayans that they referred to them as "food of the gods." Ixcacao was the chocolate goddess, and she was frequently summoned to provide bountiful harvests.

Chocolate was mostly consumed as a bitter and spicy drink during the Mayan era. They would grind the cacao beans by hand and combine them with water, vanilla, honey, corn, and chili to make the dish. Chocolate was traditionally considered a valuable commodity that could be used as an aphrodisiac as well as a form of currency.