Many of us today will be tucking into roast dinners, and over-indulging on chocolate Easter eggs. These may be Western Easter traditions but what about elsewhere? 

 

The traditional Easter meal in Colombia features green iguana, slider turtles and the world's largest rodent, capybara.

 

They are often served up alongside traditional recipes that have been passed down from migrants who came from eastern Asia to North and South America many centuries ago.

 

There are a variety of Easter feasts which consist of turtle egg omelettes, iguana soup, cayman or turtle stew and capybara, together with coconut rice and fried yucca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indigenous Colombians believe the capybara, slider turtle and iguana to be mystical animals, and symbolic of the fact that these animals during Easter time are plentiful.

 

The animals, however, are illegal to hunt. The capybara is not an endangered animal but during its reproductive season it is banned from being killed. Its reproductive season happens to be throughout Lent and Easter.

 

Authorities have also banned the killing of the green iguana during its reproductive season which also happens to be during the Easter season. Unlike the capybara, it is under threat from extinction.

 

Those caught eating them must pay $5.50 per iguana. If a farmer is caught with a basket full of the green lizards the farmer must release them into the wild immediately to escape the fine.

 

The Catholic Church's restrictions on eating red meat during Lent is the reason why reptiles are eaten during this celebratory period.

 

Despite the ban in place, many locals still manage to smuggle the animals through Columbia for their Easter meals.

 

During the build up to Easter Sunday, the reptiles are sold anywhere from $1.50 to $10 each.

 

The green iguana is typically cooked with vegetables and rice and made into a delicious soup called Pinol de Iguana. In English, this means 'Iguana in dust'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regardless of restrictions on red meat during this period salted Capybara is enjoyed by thousands.

 

Capybara looks like beef and is often served with rice and plantains. It's said to taste rather like fish due to the animal spending most of their lives swimming in lakes and ponds, feeding on water grass.

 

A four-course combo includes a prosciutto-like capybara ham drizzled with guava sauce, a capybara curry with rice, a tuna-salad-esque capybara combo on a bed of lettuce, and ravioli stuffed with ground capybara.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These Easter dishes may differ from ours but it's safe to say that Colombia has much to offer if you find yourself there during the Easter period. For a look at some of the different dishes enjoyed at Christmas, click here!