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Panades are half-moon shaped, golden-brown fried pastries—crispy exteriors giving way to a gentle corn dough interior enclosing savory flaked fish. This Garifuna specialty reflects the Caribbean's fishing heritage and resourcefulness, transforming humble white fish and masa into handheld street food magic. The filling, seasoned with cumin and cooked vegetables, contrasts beautifully with the cool, tangy pickled cabbage slaw that accompanies each bite. They're meant to be eaten with hands, torn apart to reveal the steaming filling, and doused in hot sauce—casual, delicious, and quintessentially Belizean.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the masa harina, warm water, and salt.
Mix until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside.
In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped bell pepper, and chopped tomato. Sauté until the vegetables are soft.
Add the cooked and flaked fish to the skillet, along with the ground cumin, ground black pepper, and salt. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
Divide the dough into small balls, about the size of a golf ball.
Flatten each ball into a thin circle using a tortilla press or by hand.
Place a spoonful of the fish filling in the center of each circle.
Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together to seal, using a fork to crimp the edges.
In a large skillet, heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot.
Fry the panades in batches until they are golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain any excess oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage and grated carrot.
In a small bowl, mix the white vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Pour this dressing over the cabbage and carrot, and mix well.
Serve the panades hot, with the cabbage slaw on the side.
Panades are fried half-moon shaped pastries made from masa dough, filled with seasoned flaked white fish and sautéed vegetables. They're served hot alongside tangy pickled cabbage slaw for contrast and freshness.
Panades are a Garifuna specialty, deeply rooted in Belize's coastal and creole communities where seafood and hand-held street food are cultural staples. They're sold by street vendors and served at celebrations nationwide.
The dough is masa harina mixed with water and salt. The filling features cooked, flaked white fish (snapper or grouper), onion, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, and cumin, all sautéed together until fragrant.
Keep the masa dough moist but not wet—it should hold its shape when pressed. Don't overfill the pastries or they'll burst open while frying. Fry at the correct temperature so they brown quickly without absorbing excess oil.
Panades are essential street food—served with hot sauce, lime wedges, and the cool cabbage slaw. Belizeans also enjoy them at home with cold beverages. They're perfect party finger food or a quick, satisfying snack.