Panades

A panade is a corn masa turnover filled with seasoned fish and deep-fried, and it is a common snack and street food in Belize.

Panades are sold hot from street vendors and food stalls and eaten by hand as a quick bite. The crust is made from corn masa, and the seasoned fish inside gives the snack most of its flavour.

What it really is

Corn masa is pressed into a thin round, a spoonful of seasoned fish is set in the middle, and the dough is folded over and sealed at the edge. The filling is cooked with onion, tomato and chilli, which give it a savoury, spiced taste. The sealed turnover is then deep-fried in oil until the outside is crisp and golden while the fish inside stays moist.

Because it is fried whole, the masa shell is at its best straight from the oil, and the dish is best eaten hot.

How it's served

• Hot from the fryer, with the crust still crisp.
• Whole and held in the hand, as a snack or a street-food item.
• Sold by the piece from street stalls and food vendors.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the filling as seasoned fish, and name the fish if you know it, since guests often ask.
• Flag fish as an allergen. Corn masa contains no wheat, so say so, and state wheat if you add wheat flour to the dough.
• State that it is deep-fried, and say whether the fryer is shared with items that contain wheat, egg or other allergens.
• List onion, tomato and chilli as the standard filling, and say how hot the chilli is.
• Sell it by the piece and price it per piece, so guests know what one order contains.