Pollo pibil (chicken steamed with fruit juice)

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
⅔ cup Orange juice; fresh
⅓ cup Lemon juice; fresh
1 tablespoon Annatto (achiote) seeds;
;ground in a blender or
;pulverized with a mortar
;and pestle
1 teaspoon Garlic; finely chopped
½ teaspoon Dried oregano
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds; ground
¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoon Black pepper; freshly ground
1 Chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds);
;cut into 6 to 8 serving
;pieces
12 Tortillas; hot, (hand or
;ready made)

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the orange and lemon juice, ground annatto seeds, garlic, oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold the pieces snugly in one layer and pour the seasoned fruit juice over it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken for 6 hours at room temperature, or 12 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, turning the pieces over in the marinade from time to time.

Line a large colander with 2 crossed, overlapping sheets of aluminum foil and arrange the chicken on it. Pour in the marinade, then bring the ends of the foil up over the chicken and twist them together to seal in the chicken and its marinade securely.

Place the colander in a deep pot, about 1 inch larger in diameter than the colander, and pour enough water into the pot to come to within an inch of the bottom of the colander. Bring the water to a vigorous boil over high heat, cover the pot securely and reduce the heat to low. Steam for 1¾ hours, or until the chicken is tender, checking the pot from time to time and adding more boiling water if necessary.

To serve, remove the package of chicken from the colander, open it, and transfer the chicken and all of its sauce to a heated bowl or platter. Accompany it with tortillas, served in a basket, in place of bread.

NOTE: In Yucatan, the chicken is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed in a special pit called a pib.

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Time/Life 'Foods of the World', Recipes: Latin American Cooking Earl Cravens earl.cravens@...

From: Earl Cravens Date: 09-16-94

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