Peteles

Directions

Remove achote seeds from pot.

Fry in hot oil unti oil turns yellow.

Strain and remove seeds.

Use half of this oil for pork.

Take banana or ti leaves and drop into a pot of hot water about 5 minutes to soften leaves making it pliable.

Wipe leaves.

Soak unpeeled bananas in hot water for ½ hour.

Cut off 2 ends and slice in the center and remove peel.

Prepare two quarts water in a bowl with 1 tablespoon salt.

Peel bananas, drop into water while peeling the rest of the bananas.

Grate the bananas fine by hand.

Peel potaotes and grate fine.

Add to banana. Add remaining oil, salt to taste and some of the oil from the pork.

Stir unti blended.

Dice pork thin.

Add ½ cup achote oil and stir fry pork. Add green onions, cilantro, celery, garlic, ginger, oregano, salt and tomato sauce.

Simmer until pork is tender; about 1 hour.

Lay leaf flat; with a spoon, smear leaf with oil from the pork mixture.

Now, take 2 tablespoon banana mixture and place on oiled leaf.

Flatten to about 6 inches by 3 inches. Take 2 tablespoons pork mixture and lay it on top of the banana mixture down the middle lengthwise.

Add 1 olive in the center and sprinkle with chili pepper if you want a spicy hot patele.

Fold ends of leaf lengthwise toward mixture.

Fold top and bottom ends of leaf overlapping each other if you need to, and secure with string.

Arrange pateles on top of each other in a pot.

Cover with salted hot water and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour making sure that pateles are always covered with water while cooking.