A Cuban resident in the United States became the envy of the diaspora by showcasing her ají cachucha plants filled with fruits on TikTok, in a video that has garnered nearly 347,000 views and has sparked a wave of comments from those missing that unmistakable flavor of Cuban cuisine.
Yaniris Díaz, content creator under the username @yanirisdiaz_, posted a tour of her home garden where she not only boasts about the abundance of her harvest but also shares step by step how to achieve it: obtaining the seeds of a pepper, planting them in a raised bed, and just waiting a week to see the first sprouts.
"You want to grow this amount of chili, but it just isn't happening, my dear. When I say amount, I mean a substantial amount," he says in the video while showing the plants laden with fruit.
The secret, according to her, lies in the fertilizer: in the video, she shows the specific product she uses and recommends looking for it in stores like Home Depot or any garden center. The results speak for themselves: lush plants, full of flowers, and a harvest that would make any Cuban far from the island sigh.
"The smell of these little peppers is incredible. You add one to the beans, and you'll be eating the best beans of your life," Yaniris assures with the enthusiasm of someone who knows exactly what they're talking about.
And the ají cachucha is not just any ingredient. It belongs to the species Capsicum chinense, has a sweet flavor, fruity aroma, and is virtually non-spicy. It is a highly valued ingredient in Cuban sofrito and in iconic dishes such as black beans, ropa vieja, rice with chicken, and tamales. Outside of the Caribbean, it can be harder to find, making it a symbol of culinary nostalgia for those living in exile.
In addition to the ají cachucha, Yaniris's garden includes rosemary and culantro, two other pillars of Cuban flavor that also appear in the video, impressively sized.
This is not the first time that this creator has gone viral among the Cuban community. Last June, a video of hers about Cuban customs brought to the U.S. —organizing an end-of-year party in the style of the island— surpassed 292,600 views. Her profile blends gardening, cooking, and everyday life in the diaspora, which has earned her a loyal community that follows her precisely for that connection to Cuban identity.
That community is already responding: in the comments of the video, followers who were encouraged to plant their own plants thanks to Yaniris's previous videos are sharing photos of their harvests. She invites them to do so: "Save this video and share it with your gardening friend so that they can buy this fertilizer for their plants."
Yaniris has already mentioned that she will soon release a full video from the garden to show how she has it organized. Her followers, with their hands in the soil, are eagerly waiting.
Filed under: