Recipe 31/50 : Guatemala : Jocon

The ingredients of Guatemalan cuisine are corn, tomatoes, peppers, beans, plantains, tomatillos. Jocón is popular with the Mayan population of Guatemala. Chicken is simmered in a tasty sauce tinted by tomatillos and cilantro and thickened with ground sesame and pumpkin seeds and corn tortillas.

Ingredients

2 pounds Chicken, cut into serving pieces

4 cups Water

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup Sesame seeds

2 Corn tortillas, chopped, soaked in water

1 cup Tomatillos, hulled and chopped

1 bunch Cilantro, chopped 

1 bunch Scallions, chopped

5 Jalapeño chopped or to taste

Method

1. Place the chicken, water and salt into a large pot over medium-high flame. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Remove the chicken to a bowl and strain and set aside the broth.

3. Heat a dry skillet over medium flame. Add the pumpkin and sesame seeds and dry roast them for 5-10 minutes. Dont burn them. Remove to a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.

4. Add the sesame and pumpkin seeds, tortillas, tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and Jalapeño  to a blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved broth and process until smooth. 

5. Return the chicken to the pot. Pour over pureed sauce and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the remaining broth to give it a sauce-like consistency.

6. Heat over medium-low flame and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.