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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY PUBLICATION NO. 13 



Atole of calahaza has been described previously ; 

 the same kind of squash also is made into a tamal : 



Tamales de calabaza. Young squash is cut in small 

 pieces and vegetable oil — of squash (pipidn) seed, of ses- 

 ame, or of physic nut (No. 192) — is added, together with 

 salt, lard, and green, wild chili. In another container, 

 maize dough is thinned with water. A dab is dropped on 

 a square of banana leaf, and on top is placed some of the 

 squash mixture. The leaf is folded to enclose the filling 

 and the tamales are steamed, as described previously. 



The flesh of the other squash, the pipidn, is re- 

 garded as inedible. When the fruit is young and 

 tender, it is opened and the "entrails" (tripas) 

 which surround the seeds are ground and boiled 

 with maize dough to form a stew (huatape). 

 However, it is the seeds of the pipidn which are 

 most used. They are dried, toasted, and ground, 

 to provide the Totonac with one of their chief 

 vegetable oils. 



Other cucurbits are grown locally but are of 

 negligible importance. The chayote is boiled 

 without salt and is allowed to cool. Eaten cold, it 

 is considered very thirst-quenching. 



The calahaza de melon (p. 137), apparently of 

 recent introduction and not grown generally, is 

 prepared in Taj in as it is in the mestizo town of 

 Gutierrez Zamora. The melon is peeled and cut 

 in pieces. These are soaked in water to which a 

 bit of lime has been added, then are boiled with 

 brown sugar. 



Two cucurbits are eaten raw : a sweet melon, 

 (Cucumis, No. 361) and several kinds of watermel- 

 lon. Occasionally, an individual may be inspired 

 to suck the flesh from the seeds of the ripe fruit of 

 amor (Momordica, No. 197). Children are pro- 

 hibited from indulging in this pleasure, since it is 

 believed to provoke nosebleed. 



Starchy roots and tubers. — Manioc is eaten prin- 

 cipally in November and December. Some con- 

 sider the white more tasty than the yellow. The 

 roots are boiled, without salt; or they are boiled 

 with either white or brown sugar. Sometimes 

 they are tossed into the copper vat in which cane 

 juice is being converted into brown sugar. Other- 

 wise, when manioc is boiled, a layer of shredded 

 corn husk is placed on the bottom of the pot and 

 another on top of the roots ; this is "to preserve the 

 steam." One woman recommends the use of 

 pulus leaves (No. 3) , green or dry, instead of corn 

 husk. 



Sweetpotatoes also are available during the 

 winter, from December through February. The 

 three kinds are prepared alike, being roasted, 

 boiled without salt, or boiled with brown sugar. 

 Ordinarily, a bed of pulus leaves is placed on the 

 bottom of the vessel, the sweetpotato added, and 

 another layer of puliis arranged on top. With this 

 treatment, the boiled "sweetpotatoes burst"; if 

 corn husk is substituted for pulus, they turn out 

 dry and less palatable. In addition, sweetpotato 

 often is served in the form of atole, the recipe 

 for which has been given above. 



The yam is available the year round. Its aerial 

 tubers are roasted or are boiled with or without 

 salt, then are peeled, and eaten. Although we were 

 given a graphic description of the extraction of the 

 tuberous root with the aid of the digging stick, it 

 appears that the root is not eaten. The Maya also 

 have the yam, but utilize it differently (Benedict 

 and Steggerda, pp. 161-162). 



Various dishes center about the arum (pisis, No. 

 4), which is a Lenten specialty; at that time, the 

 corms are at their best and later in the year they 

 are woody. On Fridays during Lent, an atolelike 

 dish is made by boiling, peeling, and grinding the 

 corms. The mash is added to a pot of boiling 

 water, with salt. When the cooked brew is re- 

 moved from the fire, a spray of goosefoot is added, 

 and the liquid is drunk as if it were atole. For 

 Good Friday, the corms are boiled, peeled, and 

 fried in lard. The leaves are not considered edible. 



A stew (huatape) also is made of arum, which is 

 boiled, peeled, and ground. Meanwhile, garlic and 

 onions are boiled together. To the latter, the arum 

 mash is added, together with salt, coriander, and a 

 spray of goosefoot. Arum sometimes is roasted, 

 but "it must be well cooked, or it will sting the 

 tongue." Should this take place, a pinch of salt 

 relieves the discomfort. 



Bermuda arrowroot (No. 227) is available dur- 

 ing the spring months; generally it is eaten with 

 beans. The underground stem is broken at the 

 joints into short lengths which are peeled and 

 boiled. They are removed from the liquid and 

 ground on the metate; the paste then is returned 

 to the broth and the concoction allowed to stand 

 until the fiber collects on the floor of the vessel. 

 The thick liquid may be added to beans, or it may 

 be drunk alone, as if it were atole. Boiled aiTow- 

 root sometimes is added, unground, to beans. 



