Pumpkin Seed Dip of the Mayans – Ha Sikil Pak
The recent slew of pumpkin and squash posts is not some sort of misguided attempt to turn my year-round tan into a peculiar shade of orange. It’s all about collecting the slippery seeds within for making the pumpkin seed dip called ha-sikil-pak, which is Mayan for water-pumpkin seed-tomato.
I like guacamole as much as the next person but it lacks one thing that ha sikil pak has in spades — the complexity of several toasted and charred ingredients.
Raw pumpkin seeds are crisped and pulverized to serve as the pumpkin seed dip base. The chiles and tomatoes are then charred before mixing with a bit of water, herbs, and the fragrant pumpkin seed powder. Usually enjoyed with tortilla chips, ha sikil pak also serves well as a piquant condiment for grilled meat and seafood or as a substitute for fresh salsa.
recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico
Waiter There’s Something in my… Gourd hosted by Cook Sister!
Ha Sikil Pak
Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip
makes about 1 1/2 cups, about 6 servings
Unhulled and hulled raw pumpkin seeds.
1 cup unhulled raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
3 to 6 tomatoes, about 3/4 pound
1 habanero chile, or any fresh green chile such as jalapeño or serrano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1/3 to 2/3 cups water
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced chives
Notes:
- Use any proportion of unhulled to hulled raw pumpkin seeds. In the original recipe, 1 cup of unhulled to 1/4 cup of hulled pumpkin seeds is suggested.
Instructions:
Heat a skillet or wide pan over medium heat. While mixing frequently, toast the unhulled pumpkin seeds until browned and crisp. The amount of time needed depends on the freshness of the pumpkin seeds and may take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Some of the pumpkin seeds will pop.
Once well-browned, add the hulled pumpkin seeds and toast for an additional minute. Set the toasted pumpkin seeds aside and let cool.
In the same skillet, char the chiles and tomatoes while turning frequently until blistered in spots.
Toasted pumpkin seeds and charred habanero chile. Mind your hands and orifices when handling hot chiles.
Using a food processor or coffee / spice grinder, grind the toasted pumpkin seeds with the salt into a coarse powder and transfer to a serving bowl. Mince the charred chile and set aside.
Ground toasted pumpkin seeds.
Blend the charred tomatoes with about 1/3 cup of water. Stir into the pumpkin seed powder and add the cilantro and chives. The consistency should be smooth, resembling a coarser version of hummus or baba ghanoush
Top with the minced chile. Taste and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt if needed.
To Serve:
Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips. Ha sikil pak can be made ahead and will keep for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.
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October 18th, 2008 at 3:15 am
Very interesting and healthy… I bet this dip tastes awesome! Yummy!
Cheers,
Rosa
October 18th, 2008 at 5:21 am
This looks so wonderful! I’ve seen this book around for years. This is the first recipe I’ve seen and now I would love to have the book.
October 18th, 2008 at 6:20 am
I like the idea of this. Very seasonal
October 18th, 2008 at 7:54 am
what a nice dip. And healthy too
October 18th, 2008 at 10:00 am
This looks delicious, and so unique! How would one hull pumpkin seeds?
October 18th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Stunning. Which do you enjoy more: the cooking or the photography? When I cook I love the outcome, but I can’t wait to capture what I see in a photo.
October 18th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Looks wonderful! I love roasted pumpkin seeds – I imagine I would love this dip/sread. I will have to check out this book too.
October 18th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Hi! I just saw your dip on Recipe Muncher and had to come over as I just posted a dish with ground pumpkin seeds too!
This looks fabulous!
October 18th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
This is an amazing way to use the seeds. We just did the simple thing and roasted them with spices. By the way you were not really late for the World Food Day event…I just post really early in the morning. We really appreciated your contribution!!!!
October 18th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
So, how in the heck do you hull all those pumpkin seeds? I break them all the time. Plus, by about the 20th seed I’m about ready to give up. What’s your secret?
October 19th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Great recipe idea for this time of year… It is a very clever recipe … I can not wait to try your pumpkin seed dip recipe…thanks
All the best
Andy
http://www.recipebuddys.com
October 19th, 2008 at 6:28 am
this totally rocks! I’m having a party this weekend and wanted something featuring pumpkin. how perfect!
October 19th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Charred and toasted makes a huge difference. This is fantastic.
October 19th, 2008 at 8:22 am
This looks great! How does it taste? i might just have to find out for myself by making it
October 19th, 2008 at 8:24 am
this is a tremendous idea! it looks so smooth and creamy and i have no doubt that it’s delicious. thank goodness for pumpkins–they offer so many possibilities!
October 19th, 2008 at 10:43 am
This sounds fantastic! I can’t wait to try it.
October 19th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
fantastic! A very delicious recipe.
October 19th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I love pumkin seeds, especially on salads. But oooh this sounds good. I am glad you gave options for the habenero, they are just a lot too hot for me. Yes I meant to say it that way. I think this is the first Mayan recipe I have ever seen. Thanks
October 21st, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Tanna, Natashya – It’s an excellent book. Being from Chicago, I should have a few Rick Bayless books but it seems to be the only Mexican cookbook I need for now. So extensive.
Jessica, Sweetbird – I actually bought the hulled pumpkin seeds in this recipe, but fresh pumpkin seeds should be toasted in the oven until crispy to make hulling easier.
Squawkfox – Cooking came first, and I can’t eat photos, so yeah.
Bellini – Thanks for the great event!
Amber – I like the habanero for its unique flavor, but it is a bit much for some. Seeded jalapenos should bring the heat down a few notches.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Hi Jude
Thanx for visiting me.
This looks sso awesome. I am for sure going to try this sometime soon. probably after i make a jack o lantern.
I love different kinds of dips & spreads. This is lovely and so healthy too.
Thanx for sharing this.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:34 pm
shame on me, for I threw away the pumpkin seeds… what a waste especially seeing that they can be transformed to such a wonderful looking dip ^_^
October 29th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I can just imagine how mindblowingly delicious this dip is. Wow, I do admire your determination going through all those pumpkins!
November 5th, 2008 at 11:49 am
[...] Pumpkin seed pave: I’ve been meaning to try a recipe from Apple Pie, Patis, Pâté for a while, and I’m glad I did! Somehow with all of the food, it flew under the radar. On the other hand, that meant MORE FOR ME! I thought it was absolutely awesome. I added some cocoa powder on the top, but aside from that I followed the recipe. [...]
April 19th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
When I was in Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan state of Mexico last February I had lunch in my favorite Mayan restaurant there called Yaxche (meaning tree of life.) I have been thinking constantly about the absolutely delicious pumpkin seed dip they served with tortilla chips. I am delighted to find the recipe here, and can’t wait to get my hands on some pumpkin seeds so I can try this recipe!
Thank you!
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:19 pm
I hope this recipe comes close to the pumpkin seed dip you had in the Yucatan.
September 28th, 2010 at 9:41 am
amq kodugum gavurları ne diyonuz sızın sulanınızı sikim amq koduk larım bacınnı sıkım:)
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August 24th, 2011 at 10:59 pm
I just returned from covering the Yucatan Peninsula , all three coasts, driving and we had this in a few places , each was a little different. One morning they had it sprinkled dry over the egg dish we had for breakfast. In the Yucatan you can buythe toasted seeds in different sie bags in the market. We purchased ours in Progresso, Yucatan.
September 19th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
You should try roasting pumpkin seeds with celtic sea salt shaken on after….it’s entirely different tasting and the salt, although somewhat expensive, goes a long long way.
November 17th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
I have been reading further into this issue and appreciate your well written post on this matter. I have bookmarked Pumpkin Seed Dip РMayan Recipe for Ha Sikil Pak | Apple Pie, Patis, and P̢t̩ Recipes so that I can credit back to it and once again, thanks so much for the energy spent creating this post.
February 20th, 2012 at 11:36 pm
[...] pak (creamy Mexican pumpkin-seed dip) | The Mija ChroniclesPumpkin Seed Dip – Mayan Recipe for Ha Sikil Pak | Apple Pie …Pumpkin Seed Dip of the Mayans – Ha Sikil Pak Recipelisa is cooking: Sikil PakPumpkin Seed Dip [...]
December 30th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Does it say anywhere in the recipe that the unhulled seeds need to be hulled before processing? I read it to mean that shells and all go into the grinder. Right?
February 23rd, 2013 at 9:03 am
We just got back from Akumal Mexico. While there we went to Vauadolid Yucatan. At a restaurant we had this dip. It was wonderful! Had it not been for our Mayan guide, I would not have known what I was eating. He explained what it was and how it was made. Today I was searching online for Mayan recipes and found this. Thank you! Now I can make my own!