Chontal Home-Cooking Class: Tamales and Pejelagarto

This class is hosted by Chontal home cooks in village kitchens near Nacajuca, about 30 minutes from Villahermosa, and is arranged through hotel concierges or local guides given the informal, family-based nature of the booking. The 4-5 hour session, including round-trip transport, begins with preparing tamales de chipilín: participants mix nixtamalized corn masa with chipilín leaves, a leafy green used widely in Chontal cooking, before wrapping and steaming the tamales in banana leaf. The second dish centres on pejelagarto, the local armoured fish, which the host demonstrates cleaning and scaling before marinating it in a traditional adobo made from toasted chiles, achiote and spices, then grilling it over an open flame. Participants also hand-press tortillas from fresh masa to accompany the meal. The class concludes with a shared sit-down meal of everything prepared, eaten with the host family, who provide context throughout on Chontal Maya food traditions and how these dishes fit into daily and ceremonial life. The MXN 1,050 price covers transport, all ingredients, instruction and the shared meal; it does not include additional food or drink beyond what is prepared during the class. Because pejelagarto cleaning involves handling a whole fish, the class suits travellers comfortable with hands-on food preparation, and the outdoor cooking area is most comfortable November through April.