A GUIDE TO MEXICAN CUISINE By Swarupa N. Ovalekar Self-Published Edition Copyright © Swarupa N. Ovalekar 2010 All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder.
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Warning/Disclaimer This eBook is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered. It should be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate source for information on Mexican cuisine. Although the author/publisher has used best efforts in preparing this book and making it as complete and as accurate as possible, no responsibility is assumed for errors or omissions. This eBook is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. The author/publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.
Other titles by Swarupa N. Ovalekar: Discovering Mexico Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World The Blue-Eyed Prince of Natlife
To my family for their love and support
CONTENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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1
MEXICAN CUISINE
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2
THE NATIVE MEXICAN DIET
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3
CORN AND BEANS
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4
CHILE AND SALSA
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5
THE SPANISH INFLUENCE
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6
FRENCH & OTHER INFLUENCES
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7
ANTOJITOS – THE TRADIIONAL APPETIZERS
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REGIONAL CUISINE
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9
MEALS AND CUSTOMS
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10
FESTIVE DISHES
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11
FRUIT DRINKS & BEVERAGES
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TEQUILA & THE AGAVE DRINKS
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13
DESSERTS & ICE CREAMS
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14
SWEETS & CANDIES
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15
RECIPES
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GLOSSARY OF SPANISH WORDS GLOSSARY OF MEXICAN SPANISH PRONUNCIATIONS
87 101
PHOTO SECTION I
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PHOTO SECTION II
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PHOTO SECTION III
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Swarupa got into book writing in 2008. This was four months after her return from Mexico where she had spent nearly nine months, some of them travelling solo across the country. She dedicated a year and a half to her labour of love – an epic book on Mexico – which she finally completed in June 2010. Hoping to get her book ‘Mexico’ published in the traditional way, she waited for over two years looking for a publisher who could do justice to her hard work. Her book received warm appreciation from H.E. Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico. While she waited for responses from publishers, she wrote a romance fiction novel ‘The Blue-Eyed Prince Of Natlife’. In January 2012, she created a Facebook page for her book, got her book edited and converted it into a three book series on Mexico titled ‘Discovering Mexico’, ‘Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World’, and ‘A Guide To Mexican Cuisine’. In mid-September, she finally decided to self-publish all her books.
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Apart from her books, Swarupa is an intrepid traveller and a polyglot. She speaks English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Indian languages like Marathi and Hindi. She is a passionate foodie, a huge fan of salsa and ballroom dancing and a great lover of history, cosmology and world culture. She lives in Mumbai.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheEpicBookMEXICO Twitter: http://twitter.com/theepicmexico Blog: http://thegr8wall.wordpress.com
OTHER TITLES BY THE AUTHOR Discovering Mexico is Swarupa’s chronicle which began with her new life in the Mexican city of Guadalajara and her wide exploration of the country she lived in for nine months in 2007-08. Cosmopolitan Mexico City, world-class beach resorts, charming mountain resorts, beautiful colonial cities, amazing archaeological zones, mesmerizing Maya ruins, colourful indigenous markets‌there is never a dull moment for her as she explores each place with immense gusto. At each turn, new situations arise, requiring keen perception,
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quick thinking, and ingenuity. When she explores new places and meets new people, she paints each of them with rich descriptions. Her incurable wanderlust leads her on a three-week adventurous trail covering seven culturally-rich southern states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz, the first five of which fall under the region of ‘the Maya world’. Discovering Mexico is both a celebration of the joys and revelations to be found in this inexhaustibly interesting country. This immensely pleasurable and entertaining eBook falls into many categories…it is about Mexico, Mexican memoirs, Mexican travel, Mexican history and culture, Mexican food and drinks and of course – Mexicans! With more than 100 coloured photographs, black and white political and geographical sketch maps of Mexico, a black and white sketch map of Swarupa’s three-week trip, black and white sketch maps of the seven southern states and two extensive glossaries – of Spanish words used in this book and their Mexican Spanish pronunciation – this thoroughly informative eBook is a must-read for everyone.
Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World is a comprehensive guide to the diverse aspects of Mexico, including its indigenous people, its long and colourful history and the mysterious Maya civilization. This excellently researched eBook offers a wide glimpse into the rich and varied cultural heritage of contemporary Mexico, detailing the country’s history, from the pre-Colombian period to modern times, and providing deep knowledge of the glorious Maya culture, including the much-famous end of their calendar. With over 75 coloured photographs, and black
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and white political and geographical sketch maps of Mexico, this insightful eBook will appeal to every person interested in learning about Mexico – aficionados, travellers and scholars.
A girl from Mexico City comes to Mumbai, discovers the joys of caring and sharing in a large house with seven other international trainees and falls in love with her suave Indian boss. 26-year old Mexican, Sara Velasquez, is the new international trainee at the corporate office of one of India’s top multinational companies, Natlife. Her blonde hair and good looks have always made most men treat her with benign condescension, unwilling to accept her managerial abilities. Experience has taught her not to trust men for this reason, but her tall and handsome Indian boss, the 27-year old blue-eyed Sid Oberoi, is different. He doesn’t question her intelligence only her impulsive nature. She finds herself battling a deep and irresistible attraction between them only to succumb to it whole-heartedly. A past incident has shattered Sid’s trust in women. Whenever his girlfriends get too close or serious, he bolts. He’s not interested in commitment. So why does he harbour strong, unfamiliar feelings for the feisty Mexican? On learning about the bitter experiences of her past, he’s determined to ensure that she doesn’t get hurt again. Why does he feel so protective about her? When misfortune strikes, it brings them both closer than ever. Sid offers her a job in his new business and room in his house. But, is he ready to offer her a place in his heart?
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book is one of my three book series on Mexico, a labour of love and dedication that began in 2008. The long and lonely period of this project saw me working endless hours at the computer and I owe my eternal gratitude to my family for understanding and accepting this without a fuss. To my father who made my ‘Mexican Experience’ possible for me, without which the three books on Mexico would never have been born; to my mother, brother and sisters. My particular thanks to Shri Krishna Singh for his goodwill and belief in my work. I’m greatly indebted to H.E. Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico, and the Honourable Gloria Guevara, Minister of Tourism for Mexico, for their warm appreciation and valuable support to my project. The photographs in this book have been used with the permission of their copyright holders. Credits have been given to all the photographs, except those of my own. My special thanks to the copyright holders for allowing me to reproduce their photographs: Elsie Mendez – Owner/Founder of Flavorsofmexicancuisine.com, the Mexican Tourism Board (CPTM), the State Tourism Board of Jalisco (SETUJAL), Sahid Cervantes and Paty Rodriguez. Last but not the least, thank you to Writer’s Side for editing this book.
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A Guide To Mexican Cuisine
1 MEXICAN CUISINE
Mexicans are very proud of their traditional cuisine, and they take their cooking very seriously. Traditional Mexican Cuisine is elaborate and symbol-laden and a comprehensive cultural model comprising unique farming methods, ritual practices, age-old skills, culinary techniques and ancestral community customs and manners. It’s for this reason that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Mexican Cuisine an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, making it one of the first world cuisines to receive such an honour. Known for its varied flavours, wide range of native spices and ingredients, and colourful presentations, the cuisine is primarily based on pre-Colombian traditions combined with the culinary trends introduced by Spanish colonists. It is a melting pot of different cuisines, reflecting rich French, Caribbean, Asian and African influences as well as many other recent influences absorbed through foreign immigrants and in the course of foreign trade during the colonial period.
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The fine blend of the cuisines of different countries, their cooking techniques and an exotic mix of native and foreign ingredients, led to the emergence of the unique Mexican cuisine with tremendous regional variations. The food reflects a strong Spanish influence in the north, while farther down south the ethnic cuisine still prevails. Despite the diversity of the rich regional cuisines, some common elements have led to the formation of a distinct national cuisine. Mexican food is spicy and colourful due to the use of wide varieties of chiles (chillies), spices and fresh vegetables, many of which are native to the country. The staple ingredients include corn, beans and squash; beef, pork, chicken, fish and seafood; vegetables such as tomatoes, green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, jicama (a white-fleshed, potato-like root vegetable, eaten raw as a salad or boiled or baked), and nopales (prickly pear cactus); a variety of lentils; and fruits like avocado, mango, pineapple, papaya, plantains, zapote (sapodilla), mamey (a large, avocado shaped brown fruit), guanรกbana (soursop) and guava. Chile, tomato, onion, avocado, cocoa and vanilla and garlic are the popular flavourings. The most important and frequently used spices include chile, cumin, oregano, coriander, epazote (a native herb), achiote (a natural colorant and condiment), cinnamon, cocoa and anise seeds. Epazote is used to season a variety of Mexican dishes, and is most commonly used in bean recipes to relieve abdominal discomfort. Cheese, sour cream, tamarind and chocolate are also widely used in Mexican cuisine. Mexican cheeses can be categorized into fresh cheese, melting cheese and hard cheese. Fresh cheese has a mild flavour and a crumbly texture which becomes soft and creamy without losing its shape when heated. Some of the fresh cheeses include the mozzarella-like queso
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blanco, the crumbly queso fresco, the salty-flavoured panela and the soft ricotta-like requesón. Another popular fresh cheese is queso de cabra (goat milk cheese). Melting cheese doesn’t separate or get greasy when it is heated and include the mild queso quesadilla, the strong flavoured queso asadero, the tangy yellow-coloured queso manchego, the famous mozzarella-like string cheese queso oaxaca and the mild cheddar-like queso chihuahua. Hard cheese has a strong flavour with a hard texture and can be grated. Because of its strong flavour, it makes a perfect topping for beans, salads and even grilled meats. Hard cheeses include the parmesan-like cotija cheese and the enchilado or añejo enchilado cheese which is coated with chilli powder. The three essential elements in traditional Mexican kitchens are mano y metate (grinding stone), molcajete (stone mortar and pestle) and the comal (cast-iron griddle). While mano y metate is used to grind corn and to prepare mole (a rich chocolate-based sauce) pastes, the molcajete is used to grind spices and to make salsas (sauces).
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2 THE NATIVE MEXICAN DIET
The pre-Hispanic native Mexican diet mainly comprised corn, beans, squash, chile, tomatoes, amaranth, sweet potatoes, cocoa, vanilla, avocados, jicama, papaya, pineapple, lentils, plantains, coconut, peanuts, a variety of herbs, honey, mushrooms, fish and turkey. The native people were basically vegetarian but they occasionally hunted for wild turkey, rabbit, deer, and quails. Their cuisine consisted largely of corn-based dishes with chiles and herbs, complemented with beans, tomatoes and nopales. Nopal or the prickly pear cactus is a popular ingredient in the Mexican cuisine. The peeled pads, grilled or boiled, are often used in salads, soups and as an accompaniment to various dishes. Diced nopales are used to prepare a dish called nopalitos. Cocoa beans were important luxury products throughout pre-Colombian Mesoamerica, and were used as currency. They were used in the preparation of a frothy, bitter drink which the Aztec called xocoatl (bitter water). This luxurious drink, considered to be ‘the drink of the gods’ and fit for royal consumption only, was often flavoured with vanilla, chile, achiote and other
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spices. The Aztec loved their cacao which was unsweetened. In fact, the only sweeteners available in those days were honey and aguamiel (honey-water, extracted from agave plants). It was not until chocolate was sent to Europe, that sugar was added which led to the birth of modern-day chocolate. Chocolate mexicana (Mexican hot chocolate) is still a popular traditional drink. Chocolate was also added in the preparation of some of the native Mexican meals. The first important crops grown by the ancient Mesoamerican societies were corn, beans and squash, with corn being the primary crop. The three staples which complement each other nutritionally provided carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. Another major source of protein was spirulina, the microscopic blue-green algae that grows both in sea and fresh water. The Aztec harvested it in Lake Texcoco and sold it in the form of cakes. Today, it can be found in health food stores as a human and animal food supplement, in the form of tablets, flakes, and powder. Tropical fruits, vegetables, fish and wild game supplied the missing vitamins and minerals to form a fairly well-balanced diet. Most of the food was cooked over coals, smoked in pits, or simmered in pots with water. These stews were to be the basis for Mexico’s most famous dish, the mole, which was developed to its present form after the Spanish Conquest. Frying was virtually nonexistent as there was no fat to fry with. There were no cows from which to obtain milk to produce butter or cheese, no pigs to provide lard, and game animals were extremely lean. Sometimes oils were squeezed from plants for other purposes. These practices led to the low fat, nearly vegetarian diet.
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3 CORN AND BEANS
Traditionally, corn has been the staple grain of Mexico and the main source of nutrition for thousands of years. It was and still is omnipresent in the daily meals by way of the traditional corn masa (dough). Masa is made by drying field corn and treating it in a solution of lime and water, also called slaked lime. This loosens the hulls from the kernels and softens the corn for grinding it to form the fresh masa. In addition, it also changes the structure of the corn, freeing the nutritionally valuable ‘niacin’ and adding calcium from the lime used as an alkali. This process called nixtamalization, used only by the native Mexicans, allows the human body to absorb essential nutrients. The fresh masa, when dried and powdered, becomes the modern-day masa harina (corn dough flour). Like masa harina, even fresh masa is sold in markets. It is important to avoid confusing masa harina with corn flour, which is not treated with lime and lacks the nutritional value. In baking and cooking, while using corn flour, the result is quite different from that obtained by using masa harina. The most common food made from masa is the tortilla, a thin traditional daily bread
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which accompanies just about every meal. Tortillas are made either from corn or wheat flour. Corn tortillas are prepared by pressing (by hand or by machine) small balls of masa and heating them on a comal. These are then wrapped in a cloth and stored in a basket, or in a special plastic container to keep them warm. In many cities and towns, there are tortilla shops called tortillerias, which make and sell fresh machine pressed warm tortillas. In restaurants, if you run out of tortillas, some more are served without any charge. These are accompanied by the delicious guacamole, the traditional Mexican appetizer of mashed ripe avocados, tomatoes, onions, lime juice, salt and fresh coriander. Masa is also used in the preparation of tamales (‘tamal’ in singular), which are packets of masa, usually stuffed with spicy or sweet filling, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and then steamed. Besides crisp or soft tortillas and tamales, masa is a vital ingredient in various everyday meals. It is the key ingredient in many pre-Hispanic drinks, throughout the country. Masa is cooked with piloncillo (jaggery), water or milk, cinnamon, anise seeds and vanilla beans to make a porridge-like hot beverage called atole. When it is made with chocolate, it becomes a chocolate-based atole called champurrado, a traditional breakfast drink. In the state of Chiapas, corn and cocoa are used in the preparation of pozol de cacao and tascalate. Pozol is made with masa, ground cocoa, water and a pinch of salt or sugar while tascalate is a special chocolate drink made from a mixture of roasted corn, cocoa, cinnamon, pine nuts, vanilla, achiote and sugar. In the state of Oaxaca, a popular pre-Hispanic drink called tejate, is prepared by mixing together the finely ground paste of roasted corn, fermented cocoa
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beans, seeds of the native mamey fruit and flor de cacao (‘cocoa flower’). In the state of Jalisco, a popular cold beverage called tejuino is made from fermented corn and served with a scoop of shaved ice. Corn is also boiled to prepare pozole, a spicy pork and hominy stew topped with fresh cabbage, radish, onion and cilantro. Elote (corn on the cob), both roasted or boiled, is a popular street food. Boiled elotes are usually coated with condiments such as butter, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, lemon juice, salt and hot chile sauce. Another variation is esquite, corn kernels served in a cup with the above mentioned toppings. Another corn preparation commonly available at street stalls is that of corn cooked and mixed together with chile, lemon juice and cilantro in a bit of oil. Corn and beans were the two main ingredients of Mexican cuisine even before the arrival of the Spaniards. Beans are used in salads, soups and a wide variety of dishes including the popular ancient bean paste called frijoles refritos (refried beans, which are cooked beans mashed in lard to form a smooth, thick paste). Some of the widely used varieties of beans include black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans. A daily Mexican meal invariably includes corn tortillas with frijoles refritos and tamales. An important aspect of the corn-beans combination is that both contain ‘complementary amino acids.’ Neither beans nor corn alone is a complete food as it does not provide the full complement of amino acids needed for protein synthesis. Beans contain all the essential amino acids but one and that happens to be just the amino acid present in corn. Together, the corn and
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bean combination forms a complete protein. Apart from the corn-bean pair, only one other pair provides a complete protein amino acid combination and that is beans and rice.
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4 CHILE AND SALSA
Chiles have been cultivated in Mexico for over 5000 years. The country has the greatest botanical wealth of chiles, with more than 140 varieties ranging in size from inch-long to those the size of large carrots, and in colours ranging from red and orange to green and black. The potency varies. The hottest is the habanero, some 25 times hotter than the widely-known spicy jalapeùo, which is traditionally grown around the Gulf Coast city of Xalapa in Veracruz. Then, there is the fiery chile serrano mainly used in salsas (sauces) and the large and mild chile poblano. The latter is used in making stuffed chile dishes like chile relleno, green chile stuffed with cheese and/or minced meat, covered in batter and deep fried; and chile en nogada, green chile stuffed with minced meat and covered in a walnut-based white cream sauce called nogada and garnished with a sprinkling of red pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander. Chile en nogada is a national dish usually served during Independence Day celebrations as it represents the colours of the Mexican flag – green for the coriander, white for the sauce and red for the pomegranate seeds.
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Chiles lend a distinctive flavour to Mexican cuisine, which is also enhanced with herbs such as fresh coriander and thyme, and spices like cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. They can be used fresh, whole, smoked, dried or powdered. Among the dried chiles, the popular ones include the flavourful ancho, which is dried poblano pepper and the smoky flavoured chipotle which is dried jalapeño pepper. Ground chipotle chillies are combined with other spices to make a popular meat marinade known as an adobo, a rich, smoky, dark reddish-brown sauce made from chilli, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme, laurel, oregano and salt. Salsa is the Spanish word for a sauce which is served as an accompaniment to almost every Mexican meal. The condiments most commonly found on restaurant tables in Mexico, are the red or green salsas (prepared using tomatoes and green chiles), a mix of chopped tomatoes, onions and fresh coriander, pickled shredded nopales, lemon slices and bottles of branded salsas, the most popular among them being Valentina and Tajin. Mexican cuisine boasts of numerous types of fresh salsa preparations which come in various forms – smooth, semi-chunky, or uniformly chopped. The basic amongst them is the salsa mexicana (Mexican sauce), also called salsa fresca (fresh sauce) or pico de gallo (Spanish for ‘beak of the rooster’). This fresh uncooked salsa is made from chopped tomato, onion, chiles (usually serranos or jalapeños) and fresh coriander. When the basic salsa is cooked with other ingredients it becomes salsa ranchero (ranch-style salsa). There are many types of salsas, some made using exotic ingredients like huitlacoche (or cuitlacoche), a corn fungus popular among the Nahuatl Indians. Pumpkin seeds are used to prepare the popular salsa de pipián.
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The preparation of a salsa by combining chiles, tomatoes and other ingredients like pumpkin or squash seeds and even beans has been documented way back to the Aztec culture. Bernardino de SahagĂşn, a Spanish Franciscan missionary who chronicled Aztec life following the Conquest, wrote extensively on the culinary history of the Aztec which included details on every food common to the culture. In one of his writings he described the salsas sold by food vendors in the large, well-ordered and crowded Aztec markets which included salsas of various kinds of chiles (including the chipotle, a staple in the Aztec diet) avocados, mushrooms, squash, red tomatoes, green tomatoes and different herbs and even hot salsas. Mexican cuisine also boasts of a popular savoury salsa called chamoy which is made from pickled fruit like mango, apricot or plum with chile, vinegar, sugar, salt and water. Due to its delicious sweet, salty and spicy flavour, this fruit and chile sauce is popularly used in preparing snacks, desserts and drinks. It is poured over fruits for a delicious treat. Chamoycoated apples, chamoy-flavoured frozen desserts, popsicles, sweets, and even drinks (including beer) spiced with chamoy are extremely popular in Mexico.
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A traditional Mexican market
Tamarind
Dried red chillies
A Guide To Mexican Cuisine
Fruits on display in the market Photo credit: © Flavorsofmexicancuisine.com
Nopal cactus leaves Photo credit: © Flavorsofmexicancuisine.com
Mangoes
A Guide To Mexican Cuisine
The traditional corn masa (dough)
A street-side taqueria
Tacos, the widely popular corn tortilla-based snack
A Guide To Mexican Cuisine
Camarones al coco, coconut coated prawns Photo credit: © CPTM: Foto / Ricardo Espinosa-reo
Red enchiladas
Tostadas Photo credit: © Flavorsofmexicancuisine.com
A Guide To Mexican Cuisine
15 RECIPES
GUACAMOLE (AVOCADO DIP) This dip has a rich and wonderful texture and is perfect as a salad or an appetizer with nachos.
Ingredients 2 large ripe avocados 1 small red onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped 1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped Salt to taste
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Directions Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and peel them. Chop and then mash them in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with nachos.
PICO DE GALLO (MEXICAN SALSA) This delicious salsa is one of the simplest of Mexican salsas. It is served as a salad or with tortilla chips, and also as a topping for tortilla-based dishes like tacos and tostadas.
Ingredients 1 large ripe tomato, seeded and finely chopped 1/3 of large red onion, finely chopped 2 serrano peppers or 1 jalape単o pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1/3 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped Freshly squeezed juice of one lime Salt to taste
Directions Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
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SWARUPA’S CHOCOLATE-FILLED CHURROS This fried-dough pastry is a popular Mexican dessert snack, originating in Spain.
Ingredients 1 cup water 2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup all-purpose flour Oil for frying 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon A bar of cooking chocolate 2 skewers
Directions In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
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Mix 1/4 cup sugar and ground cinnamon together and set aside. Make the chocolate sauce. Break the chocolate bar in small pieces and put in a microwave bowl. Keep an eye on it while it’s melting or else it might burn. Alternatively, melt the chocolate using a double boiler. Make small balls out of the dough and wrap each of them around the two skewers in the shape of sausages. This will make a narrow hole inside for the chocolate filling. Gently slide off the skewers and close the holes on both ends. Fill a large, heavy bottomed saucepan with oil for frying (it should be about one-third full). Heat the oil. Place the rolls of dough into the hot oil. Be careful not to cook more than three at any one time, or they will all stick together. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes until crispy and golden. Do not mess with them until they are ready to be turned. Drain on kitchen paper. Roll drained churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Gently slice off one end of the churros. Use a skewer to carefully pierce and widen the narrow hole. Pour the chocolate sauce slowly inside each churro. Make sure it reaches till the bottom. Spread the excess sauce around the top of the churros.
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Horchata, a popular refreshing drink of rice, sugar and cinnamon
Dried calyces of the flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus flower) sold in markets
A Guide To Mexican Cuisine
Assorted Mexican sweets on display in a traditional Mexican sweet shop
Palanquetas of peanuts and pumpkin seeds (left) and alegrias, the amaranth candy studded with dried fruits and nuts (right)
GLOSSARY OF SPANISH WORDS A Achiote: The seed of annatto tree commonly used as flavouring and orange-red colouring agent in Mexican food. It is used in making achiote paste, a seasoning mixture from the Yucatán region Adobo: Spicy marinade Agave: A succulent plant from which drinks like tequila and mezcal are produced Agave azul: Blue agave Agua de Jamaica: A popular refreshing drink made from the dried calyces of the hibiscus flower Agua de tamarindo: Tamarind water Aguas frescas: ‘Fresh water,’ healthy non-carbonated drinks of fresh fruit water Aguacate: Avocado Aguachile de camarón: Fresh prawns served raw in a blend of limes and hot green serrano chillies Aguamiel: ‘Honey water’ extracted from the bulbs of the agave plant Alegrias: ‘Happy,’ traditional sweets made from amaranth grain Alfajores: White cocada sweets with pink-coloured tops Almuerzo: A light 11 am lunch consisting of tortilla-based dish Amarillo: Yellow Ancho: The dried form of poblano chilli Antojitos: Traditional corn dough-based appetizers or snacks Añejo: Aged or vintage Añejo enchilada: A type of cheese coated in chilli powder Arroz: Rice Arroz amarillo: Yellow rice Arroz blanco: White rice Arroz con camarones: Prawn rice Arroz con leche: Rice pudding Arroz con lima: Lemon rice Arroz con pollo: Rice with chicken Arroz español: Spanish rice
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GLOSSARY Of MEXICAN SPANISH PRONUNCIATIONS A A la Tampique単a: ah lah tam-pee-keh-nyah A la Veracruzana: ah lah veh-rah-croo-sah-nah Achiote: ah-chee-oh-teh Adobo: ah-doh-boh Agave: ah-gah-veh Agave azul: ah-gah-veh ah-suhl Agua de Jamaica: ah-gwah deh ha-mai-kah Agua de tamarindo: ah-gwah deh tah-mah-reen-doh Aguas frescas: ah-gwahs frehs-kahs Aguacate: ah-gwah-kah-teh Aguachile de camar坦n: ah-gwah-chee-leh deh kah-mah-rohn Aguamiel: ah-gwah-myel Aguascalientes: ah-gwahs-kah-lyehn-tehs Alegrias: ah-leh-greeh-yahs Alfajores: ahl-fah-ho-rehs Almuerzo: ahl-mwehr-zoh Amarillo: ah-mah-ree-yoh Ancho: ahn-choh Antojitos: ahn-toh-hee-tohs A単ejo: ah-nyeh-ho A単ejo enchilada: ah-nyeh-ho ehn-chee-lah-dah Arroz: ah-rrohs Arroz amarillo: ah-rrohs ah-mah-ree-yoh Arroz blanco: ah-rrohs blahn-coh Arroz con camarones: ah-rrohs kohn kah-mah-roh-nehs Arroz con leche: ah-rrohs kohn leh-cheh Arroz con lima: ah-rrohs kohn leeh-mah Arroz con pollo: ah-rrohs kohn poh-yoh
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