Alguashte

Homemade alguashte served on unripe mango.

Alguashte is a seasoning typical of Salvadoran cuisine made from ground pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and is used on both sweet or savoury meals. Simple to make; it is often prepared at home, however it can also be purchased pre-packaged as well as from street vendors often as an addition to a meal or snack. It is added to fruits such as unripe mango, as well as food dishes such as shuco and chicken.

Etymology

Alhuashte: from the Nahuatl AYU, juice; JUASHTI, seeds. Adobo prepared from pumpkin seeds.

History

While its origin is not known, alguashte likely is of Mayan origins as pepitas have been consumed in Mesoamerica for several centuries.