As Garifuna Settlement Day approaches, the beloved dish called Hudut is appearing on menus across the country.
And, while it is primarily an ethnic dish - Hudut is evolving in the mainstream - and, so, just like everything else Belizeans love, from stew beans to boil up - why not put some pigtail in there? And while you're there, why not some boiled egg?
It's a popular practice but it has drawn the ire of many hudut purists in a raging social media debate.
Today, Jomarie Lanza went to an authority looking for answers on tradition and taste:
This is the post that started a storm of controversy and commentary on Facebook, quarreling over the historically suitable ingredients for the South's most famous dish, Hudut.
Some, like this man, argue that adding pigtail and eggs to the dish is an insult to the Hudut Gods. And so today, with all the upcoming festivities surrounding the 19th, we decided to set the record straight and find out the right way to perfect this classic dish by consulting with a Hudut Expert himself, Chef Ainsley.
Ainsley Castro, Chef, Naked Chicken
"Hudut! Right, that's a traditional Garifuna food to start with and it's one of my favorites, it's everyone's favorite although there are different kinds of Garifuna food. Another one of my favorites is Darasa, this is the Darasa here, so this what I had today for my special it's basically just gritted banana with coconut milk, garlic, culantro and other things. This is the Darasa, you can serve this with your fry fish, but I love it with corn fish, it's one of my favorites also corn fish with Darasa and some veggies that sets it off right there. There's the Darasa there's the Tapou, and we have Bundiga. But basically with Hudut you Mash plantain, green or ripe. Usually the way I do it I would use three green and two ripe then with the freshly grated coconut I have over here."
"So basically these are the ingredients right here for the Hudut. We have Okro all the way from PG. you know the difference between the Okro? These are my favorite the long ones look at how soft they are when they break."
"Yes, you can eat them right so too, nice chewy. You aren't missing out on anything with a good Hudut."
Reporter
"You think egg and pigtail go ina hudut?"
Interviewee
"Well I tried it already and it doesn't taste bad so I would say yes in a way but it shouldn't go in there really and truly."
Reporter
"You think that egg and pigtail belong ina Hudut?"
Interviewee
"Well it depends on the region what part of Belize you come from some people like it and I guess why not if that's what you like. Because now it's every kind of food it's not just one kind of food. All the different ethnicities that's how those things come about, so I guess it's okay."
But if you ask the Chef, who's had years of experience preparing and perfecting this delicacy, hell tell you straight up, there's no place for swine or poultry in his pot when making Hudut.
Ainsley Castro, Chef, Naked Chicken
"So basically I know why you're all here is to ask what all goes in but this is the real way to do it!"
"This right here is what the controversy is about. This isn't good, this isn't good. See? Garbage not good to consume, not with a Hudut you're violating. Please! You don't get that at naked chicken you get the real deal. See where that went? In the garbage! Telling you about a Hudut now this is what it looks like, watch how nice and creamy, it's nice. And then usually how I eat it. This with no spoon, dip, and this this the way you eat Hudut. Now this is the shit!"
"So then after you done with your Hudut, this is what you lash it down with a nice glass of Sahou."
And today's dish was an absolute hit among his loyalists, who say that the Chefs way, the traditional way, Baranco style, never fails to satisfy their stomachs and win their hearts over.
Ainsley Castro, Chef, Naked Chicken
"How you like your Hudut? With pigtail or without?"
Interviewee
"Baranco Hudut."
Ainsley Castro, Chef, Naked Chicken
"No pigtail no egg."
Interviewee
"Since 1958, 1958, you werent around yet."
Ainsley Castro, Chef, Naked Chicken
"I wasn't born yet for real, but it is true, so see the customer is telling you no pig tail no eggs thats not the way."
Interviewee
"It's delicious it's really good, I'm about to try it right now so come to naked chicken and get your hudut."
Interviewee
"The real way he do it the real way and he doesn't put in pig tail and those things, so he give you the real way it's nice. But Chef he have the hit."
Jo-
"What do you think about Chefs way of doing it?"s
Interviewee
"Chef he's been a good chef for a long time, I use to like to tease him and finally things are coming around in Belize. He's a good chef that I could say. I've been knowing him for a long time."
Interviewee
"This is the real way! Right at Chef Ainsley on Mahogany street."
And while this crowd is partial to the man bubbling their pots, the raging social media debate shows that in the over 200 years since the Garifuna arrived in Belize, Hudut is still evolving at the crossroads of comfort food to some, delicious delicacy to others.
Chef Ainslie is located on Mahogany Street.
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