The outer dough is called masa — it is made from ground corn that has been soaked in lime water, which makes the corn easier to digest and gives it a slightly earthy flavour. The filling is layered carefully in the middle: pieces of pork, rice, a slice of potato, a piece of tomato, and a mint leaf. Everything is folded inside the banana leaf and tied shut with a strip of the same leaf.
Nacatamales are usually made by families together early on Sunday mornings. The cooking takes about three hours, and the whole house fills with the smell of steaming corn and herbs. It is the kind of food that needs time and patience, which is why it is saved for special days rather than weekdays.
The name nacatamal comes from the Nahuatl (an Indigenous language) word for a corn tamale stuffed with meat — 'nacatl' means meat and 'tamalli' means corn parcel. Variations of tamales are made across Mexico and Central America, but Nicaragua's version is particularly big and juicy. A single nacatamal can weigh nearly half a kilogram.
Eating a nacatamal is a communal experience. Families sit together and unwrap their parcels at the table. They are often served with fresh bread and a hot drink. In Nicaragua, saying 'come to our house for nacatamales on Sunday' is a warm invitation — the equivalent of a very special home-cooked meal.