Chamaedorea tepejilote, also known as the pacaya palm, is a species of Chamaedorea palm tree found in the understory of the forests of southern Mexico, Central America, and northern Colombia.
The immature male inflorescences of the plant are considered a delicacy in Guatemala and El Salvador. The unopened inflorescences resemble an ear of corn in appearance and size.[1] Indeed, the word tepejilote means "mountain maize" in the Nahuatl language and was selected because of this resemblance.[2] The common name pacaya, referring to both the plant and its edible flowers, could be derived from the Pacaya volcano.
Pacaya has a somewhat bitter taste, although less so in cultivated varieties. It is eaten in salads (especially fiambre, a salad traditionally eaten in Guatemala on the Day of the Dead) or covered in egg batter and fried.[3] The latter dish is called envueltos de pacaya, and is often served with tomato sauce, like chiles rellenos.