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LOCAL Monday 9 deceMber 2024

Dining in? Try making a local favorite

How to make “pan bati”

(Oranjestad)—If you’re ever up for an Aruban Instructions:
snack, try making another Aruban classic ap- Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl first, and
petizer called Pan Bati. Similar to a pancake stir until well mixed. Then add the milk and beat
both in appearance and cooking, this is a su- until reached a pancake-like consistency. If
per easy meal that adults and children will both more moister is needed, add some water until
enjoy. Here’s how to make it! reached desired consistency.

Ingredients: In a hot pan with oil, pour in enough batter to
2 cups of all purpose flour cover the bottom of the pan. Just like pancakes,
1 cup grams of fine cornmeal (we recommend flip the pan bati when one side turns golden
the Harina PAN brand) brown. When your pan bati is ready, place on
2 tbsp baking powder a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
1 1/3 cup of milk
1 pinch of salt Traditionally, pan bati is cut in triangle pieces,
2 tbsp of granulated sugar and is often eaten as a side dish with soup, fried
Oil for cooking fish or stews. However, it is also casually enjoyed
with some butter and cheese on top! q

Aruba: The island of Aloes

ORANJESTAD – Aloe vera, a Van Raders introduced the tury, Aruba was the main
succulent plant species, is plant after it had been in- supplier of aloin for laxa-
renowned for its incredible troduced in other islands of tive, which was imported
properties for the skin. It is the Caribbean to cultivate abroad to the United States
widely distributed and usu- and harvest the aloe to and Europe. The aloin from
ally grows in tropical, semi- produce the laxative. Aruba and Curaçao was
tropical and arid climates known to be one of the
on the planet. But this plant Around 1920, about two- best in the world and was
also had a very prominent thirds of Aruba was aloe more expensive, which
role in the history of Aruba, fields, earning our island meant that at the time, it
and its significance to the the nickname “The Island had significant economic
island’s economy endures of Aloes.” impact, particularly for the
to this day. local farmers.
Under Commander Jan
The leaves of Aloe vera Helenus Ferguson (1866- However, by the time the
contain a good amount of 1871), aloe experienced a oil industry arrived on Aru-
gel which when used topi- boom, which is why there ba, it changed the labor
cally, is great for the skin. is a road named after him, market on Aruba, shifting
Traditionally, Arubans use which goes through the away from agriculture. It
this gel to treat minor burns aloe fields. In the 19th cen- would be after World War
and other skin ailments, II that aloe would make a personal use and decora-
or just to keep skin supple comeback. And eventu- tion, houses are also deco-
and looking bright and ally, as science learned rated with aloe motifs, and
nourished. Aside from the about the amazing proper- at some point, aloe even
gel, aloe contains a bitter, ties of aloe gel, the indus- featured on post stamps.
yellow substance (called try shifted from producing Around 1920, about two-
aloin) which is a gentle but laxative to producing skin thirds of Aruba was aloe
powerful laxative, and it is care. An interesting fact is fields, earning our island the
also the origin of the indus- that in 1951, the production nickname “The Island of Al-
try of aloe in Aruba. of Aruban aloe amounted oes.” And in 1955, the aloe
to around 30 percent of the became a part of Aruba’s
According to the website total global production! coat of arms, symbolizing
of Royal Aruba Aloe, Aloe prosperity for the island.
vera was introduced in The impact and relevance
Aruba around 1840, when of aloe is visible all around Images from the archive of
most of the island’s inhab- Aruba. While most homes the National Library of Aruba.
itants were farmers of little will have a few plants for
means. Dutch Governor