pasteles

PASTELES

FILLING:
2 pork butts, 15 lb. cubed3 stalks celery, chopped fine1 sm. can pimento, chopped fine1 bell pepper, chopped1 big onion, chopped fine2 bunches Chinese parsley, chopped fine3-4 cans pitted olives, drained7 cloves garlic, chopped fineSalt & pepper1 tbsp. cumin2 tbsp. paprika2 lg. hot red pepper, chopped fine4 cans tomato sauce, or more
Fry meat until brown. Add above ingredients. Cook for 1 hour on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup Achoite oil.
Achoite Oil: 2 cups Wesson oil. Cook Wesson oil until just about to boil; add achoite seeds. Lower heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until deep red color has been extracted. Remove from heat and cool. Strain through a sieve and place in a jar.
Masa: 1 bunch Chinese bananas (whole bunch). Peel bananas, put into pan of salt water. After bananas are peeled, grate bananas fine. (Looks like dough.) After all is grated, add salt to taste and aji. Pour achoite oil over bananas, then mix well until blended. Add more salt to grated bananas if needed.
Making of Pasteles: Banana leaf or ti leaves. String to tie. Take 12 x 12 inch banana leaf, oil it, then spread masa (banana mash), then filling (mentuta), spread about 2 x 4 inch wide. Then fold and tie. Boil in boiling water for 1 hour.

This is one of my all time favorite dishes-it is a meal to itself!!!