A fiery, brick-red turkey soup from the Q'eqchi' Maya of Alta Verapaz, simmered with dried chiles, tomatoes, and achiote in a broth that is both smoky and deeply aromatic.
Ingredients
1kg turkey pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
6 dried guaque or guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
4 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 large white onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tbsp achiote paste
3 sprigs fresh mint
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
8 cups water or turkey broth
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1Toast chiles on a dry comal until fragrant, about 1 min per side. Soak in hot water 20 min.
2Roast tomatoes, onion, and garlic on the comal until charred. Peel garlic.
3Blend soaked chiles, roasted vegetables, and achiote paste with 1 cup broth until smooth.
4Bring remaining broth to a boil. Add turkey pieces and simmer 30 min, skimming foam.
5Strain chile sauce into the pot. Add mint and cilantro sprigs.
6Simmer 30 min more until turkey is very tender and sauce is rich. Season with salt and pepper.
Did You Know?
Kak Ik was inscribed by Guatemala as Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the city of Coban holds an annual Kak Ik festival each September.