Priest in Santiago de Cuba shares survival recipe: Spaghetti with squash and green papaya

Convinced that the current mission of the Catholic Church in Cuba is not only to spread the word of God but also to provide tools to empower people in the face of the severe economic crisis, Father Leandro NaunHung challenges prejudices and criticisms while continuing to share valuable knowledge in the rural communities of Santiago de Cuba.

The priest shared on Facebook one of his most recent experiences in a rural community in Santiago de Cuba, where he went to baptize several people and, as a conclusion, they shared and enjoyed a dish of spaghetti with green papaya and pumpkin together.

The priest explained that the first step was to cut the yam, pumpkin, and green papaya into small cubes, which he referred to as the "special ingredient."

Regarding the pumpkin, it was noted that it should be consumed with the skin, highlighting that it is a valuable source of nutrients. It was also suggested to sauté the pumpkin, adding spices such as oregano, among others.

In the video shared by the parish priest, you can also see that he used tomato puree for the sauce, while separately, he was cooking the green papaya until it softened.

However, in the case of the yam, it did not specify when it should be added or if it should be softened together with the green papaya, although it is inferred that it should be cooked together with the fruit bomba.

Spaghetti is also boiled separately, but just before eating.

As a closing for the video, all the people from the rural community are seen sharing a dish that, in their own words, “Tastes like glory.”

Although it was not the main objective of its publication, the shared material also shows the precarious living conditions of residents in the rural communities of Santiago de Cuba, where even access to drinking water is difficult.

At one point in the video, it is observed how the residents have to go to a nearby river and carry water using a donkey.

NaunHung has reiterated on numerous occasions that the rural communities of Santiago de Cuba must learn to withstand the economic crisis, which is especially tough in the more remote areas.

In this regard, on social media, she has shared recipes such as spaghetti with purslane, and she has also shown how to prepare sampa, a long-lasting food for times of crisis. Recently, she also demonstrated how to cook a soup with banana flower and nopal.