Cochinita Pibil

The signature dish of the Yucatan Peninsula, cochinita pibil is pork slow-cooked underground in a pit (pib) wrapped in banana leaves, marinated in achiote paste and bitter Seville orange juice for 24 hours. The cooking technique dates to the Maya civilisation and remains virtually unchanged — modern preparations simply substitute a covered oven for the pit. Achiote (annatto) gives cochinita its distinctive deep red-orange colour and was used by the ancient Maya as body paint and food colouring.