Guatemala's Mayan heritage lives on in spicy pepian

The traditional Guatemalan dish 'Pepian' was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Guatemala in 2007. Photo: AFP/Johan ORDONEZ

The smells of a bygone era waft through the air as Elsa Morales tosses an ancient Mayan spice on her sizzling grill to make a batch of pepian stew.

The meaty dish is an explosion of flavours that combines tastes from the New World and the Old – the history of Guatemala on a plate, but with less bitterness and more spice.