Two Americans attempt to make the national dish of Guatemala

We've been living in Guatemala for over a year — and somehow we never made the national dish. Today we fix that. 🌶️ Pepián is the most sacred food in Guatemala. It shows up at weddings, funerals, and quinceañeras — deeply rooted in Mayan tradition (40% of Guatemala's population is indigenous Mayan). So two people from Ohio heading to the San Pedro La Laguna market to cook it from scratch? No pressure. We grabbed everything we needed from our local vendors — pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, dried chilies, güisquil squash, tomatoes, and the most enormous cinnamon stick we've ever seen — and came back to cook authentic pepián from scratch. With a vegetarian twist (we're fully committed now), we swapped the traditional chicken for tofu. The result? A rich, reddish-brown sauce that's roasted, blended, and packed with flavor. Served over rice with fresh tortillas straight from the market. Easily one of the best things we've made since moving abroad.We're Chris & Grace — a married couple from Ohio living a slower life in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala, with our golden retriever Mango. 🥭 ⏱️ CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Don't try this at home… wait, actually do 0:41 - Market run in San Pedro La Laguna 4:39 - Back home with Mango 🥭 5:22 - Full ingredient haul 6:44 - Roasting the seeds & chilies 8:00 - Charring tomatoes, onion & peppers 9:47 - Blending the sauce (tiny food processor struggles) 12:38 - Building the pot 14:42 - Finished pepián — taste test ✨ 15:43 - Our honest reaction 📬 Collabs & business: [email protected] ❤️ Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheRoamingRosses?...