Mexican Cuisine

When Christopher Columbus in 1492 went out on his search for India and for the valuable black pepper, instead he found America, sparking off the conquest of countries like Mexico, which opened the world to new culinary horizons. Tacos, nachos with guacamole, quesadillas, corn chips and salsa form only a small part of this country’s culinary repertoire. The fundamental Mexican food is based on corn, black beans and chillies, but due to the variety of cultures and communities in Mexico, each region is marked by a distinct aroma, taste and texture.

Classic Mexican Meal

Mexico is the place for the adventurous food lovers. Corn, the national staple grain, finds place in most dishes here. The Mexicans are masters of snack foods. All of the popular dishes like Tacos, Nachos, Burritos and Quesadillas are actually snack dishes.

Breakfast

A typical breakfast is light eggs, bread and coffee. But the flavours are so different. You can be adventurous and try “Huevos Rancheros” (a fried egg served on a fried tortilla smothered in spicy salsa), “Huevos a la Mexicana” (scrambled eggs with salsa), “Chilaquiles” (tortillas cooked in a green tomato sauce and served with chicken, cheese and cream), or “Huevos Con Machaca” (scrambled eggs with dried beef). Wash down this finger licking breakfast with a Mexican coffee with cinnamon and dark brown sugar.

Lunch & Dinner

Soups made of pork, avocado, or tortillas and cheese whet the appetite for the feast to follow. Rice, tortillas, beans and a main dish, or Platillo fuerte are typically served. Mole (a delicious, dark brown sauce made from over 30 ingredients, served over chicken or turkey), Tamales (corn meal stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetable and steamed in corn or banana husks), Menudo (a hearty tripe stew also, known in Mexico as una cruda) are also served. Not surprisingly, a filling Mexican lunch is often followed by a welcome Mexican siesta.

The evening meal is generally lighter fare. The dishes are the same as at lunchtime, only less of each is consumed.

Dessert

Top off your meal with one of these favourite postres, Flan (caramel custard), Mangos Flameados (flambéed mangoes), Pastel de queso (light, Mexican cheese cake), or Helado (ice cream). Rice pudding, sweet pastries (also called Pan dulce), Pastel de Tres Leches (Cake of three milks) and Sopaipillas (Deep-fried sweet dough) are favourites across the region.

Snacks

The Mexicans are masters of snacking and snack foods. All of the items which we think of as typically Mexican, tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas are simply snack food.

Other Popular Dishes

Margaritas (Tequila & lime cocktail), Sangría (Fruited wine) or a light beer brewed in the north of the country are excellent accompaniments to a Mexican meal.

Horchata (Sweet rice beverage), Jamaica (Hibiscus flower beverage), Mexican hot chocolate are the non-alcohol favourites.

Common Mexican Food

Tortillas: The Mexican equivalent of roti, the tortilla is a Mexican staple. Best described as a very thin Makki ki roti, the Tortillas can be crisp like a pappad or of a softer texture. Tortillas taste best when they are stuffed with different vegetable or meat fillings, topped with cheese and a salsa sauce.

Enchilada: An Enchilada is usually made with a corn tortilla which is fried briefly in hot lard, and then dipped into the chosen Enchilada sauce. The tortillas are filled and rolled, then placed in a casserole, layered with sauce or any other possible additions like cheese and chopped onions. Enchiladas which are made with chicken, meat or cheese fillings are very popular. You can also fill it with vegetables, seafood or eggs.

The traditional Enchilada sauce is made with dried red chile peppers which are soaked and ground into a sauce, then combined with seasonings.

Tacos: A rolled or folded, pliable maize tortilla filled with chicken, meat or vegetables. A taco is normally served flat on a tortilla that has been warmed up on a comal, since the tortilla is still soft, it can be folded over or pinched together into a U-shape for convenient consumption.

Burrito: The Burritos usually include meat such as beef, chicken, and other ingredients such as rice, beans, and salsa. The burritos ingredients are wrapped in a large flour tortilla which has been lightly grilled in order to make the tortilla soft and more pliable. One of the best way to describe a burrito is a Kathi roll except the Roti is a tortilla and the fillings and the sauces are differently flavoured.

Quesadillas: These are a corn or flour Tortila with beef, pork, chicken and cheese. Quesadillas and many other traditional foods contain a special mexican chile pepper. These kinds of foods are usually very colourful because of red peppers, green peppers, cauliflower, radishes, chillies and broccoli that go into them.

Salsa: A salsa is basically any sauce used to garnish or add flavour to Mexican dishes. Some of the better known varieties are:

Salsa Roja, “red sauce”: used as a condiment and usually made with cooked tomatoes, chili peppers, onion, garlic, and fresh cilantro
Salsa cruda (“raw sauce”), also known as Pico de gallo (“rooster’s beak”), salsa picada (“chopped sauce”), salsa mexicana (“Mexican sauce”), or Salsa fresca (“fresh sauce”), “salsa bandera” (“flag sauce”, in allusion to the Mexican flag): made with raw tomatoes, lime juice, chilli peppers, onions, cilantro leaves, and other coarsely chopped raw ingredients
Salsa Verde, “green sauce”: Mexican version made with tomatillos. Sauces made with tomatillos are usually cooked
Salsa Taquera, “Taco sauce”: Made with tomatillos and morita chili
Salsa ranchera, “ranch-style sauce”: made with tomatoes, various chilies, and spices. Typically served warm, it possesses a thick, soupy quality. Though it contains none, it imparts a characteristic flavour reminiscent of black pepper
Mango Salsa: a spicy-sweet sauce made from mangoes and used as a topping for nachos. It is often also used as a garnish on grilled chicken or grilled fish due to the sauce’s gamut of complementary flavours
Guacamole: thicker than a sauce and generally used as a dip, it refers to any sauce where the main ingredient is avocado
Mole (pronounced mole [‘mo.le]): a Mexican sauce made from chili peppers mixed with spices, unsweetened chocolate, almonds and other ingredients.