Home cooking attempt — Hallacas from scratch

I spent an afternoon making Hallacas from scratch following a traditional recipe. Getting black beans caraotas right was the main challenge — it's not as straightforward as it looks. The sweet-savoury from cornmeal base result was rewarding once I got it right.

hallacas Christmas preparation is a multi-day family tradition where the whole extended family participates. I served it with Malta dark malt drink as the recipe suggested and the pairing made sense. It took longer than I expected but the outcome was genuinely satisfying. Making Hallacas yourself gives you a new appreciation for what goes into it at a restaurant.