SIKIL P’AK IS A SMOKY MAYAN DIP WORTH THE EFFORT

Local Spring authors Island) Dan and Jason Michele (Salt Genest (Whitehorse) bring a great northern touch to their healthful collection, Awesome Ancient Grains and Seeds. Raw pumpkin seeds shine in this favourite dip from the Yucatan Peninsula, with roots in Mayan culture. The smokiness of the charred vegetables is wonderfully rustic:

1½ cups (350 mL) hulled raw

■

pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

■

2 plum tomatoes, cored and

■ halved

1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and ■ halved (not seeded)

¼ white onion, separated into ■ segments

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

■

¼ cup (60 mL) chopped cilantro

■

¼ cup (60 mL) chopped chives

■ Juice of 1 lime

■

1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt

■

1-2 tbsp. (15-30 mL) water (if

■ needed)

1. Dry-roast pumpkin seeds in a large cast-iron frying pan over medium heat until they’re lightly browned. Set aside. Pour oil into the same frying pan and increase heat to medium high. Place tomatoes and jalapeno in the centre of pan, cut side down. Scatter onion around the periphery. Place the garlic at the edge, where it will brown but not burn. Turn garlic frequently and remove once it has browned on all sides. Cool to room temperature, peel and set aside. Blacken the edges of the tomatoes and jalapeno by leaving them cut-side-down for 5 minutes before turning. Press down on the onion segments to blacken them as well. Once vegetables are a good colour, after about 7-9 minutes, turn heat down to medium-low and soften them for about 3 minutes. Cool vegetables to room temperature.

2. Combine seeds and vegetables in the bowl of a food processor and grind to a coarse paste. Add cilantro, chives, lime juice and salt, and pulse until combined but still grainy. If the mixture is too stiff or crumbly, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with tortilla chips, grilled vegetables or homemade crackers. Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.

Makes: 2 cups (500 mL)