How to Make Puerto Rican Pasteles (paleo, AIP option)

Ingredients

• 30 bananas green, no yellow showing at all
• 4 roots malanga, I used 2 white and 2 lilac, peeled
• 1 1/2 pounds squash calabaza, substitute butternut or acorn
• 2 cups bone broth chicken
• 2 tablespoons salt unrefined
• 1/2 onion
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 head garlic yes, a whole head
• 3 bell peppers preferably red, orange, and/or yellow. If you can find aji dulce peppers, use a few of those, too
• 1 bunch fresh oregano or about 1/2 to 1 Tb dried, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt unrefined, to taste
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 carrots peeled
• 1/2 cup lard or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons annatto seeds whole, achiote
• 6 tablespoons achiote aciete de, or plain lard or olive oil
• 6 tablespoons sofrito
• 2 pounds chicken or pork, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 1/4 ounces capers drained
• 4 leaves culantro, substitute 1/3 bunch of cilantro
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt unrefined
• 5 banana leaves packs, rinsed and cut into roughly 12"-16" squares; alternatives: "pasteles paper" from a Latin market, or plain parch…
• 1 jar green olives read lables to ensure no weird additives or preservatives
• 1 roll kitchen twine, cut into strings about 1 yard long, approximately the armspan of an adult
• 3 banana leaves OR 1 banana leaf and one sheet pastele/parchment paper OR 1-2 sheets pastele/parchment paper
• 1 tablespoon achiote aciete de, or plain olive oil or melted lard
• 1/2 cup masa
• 3 tablespoons meat filling
• 3 green olives