What is Mexican Food?

Mexican food is one of the rising cuisines in the world today. It has a variety of flavors and colorful garnishes that entices the taste buds. In November of 2010 it was added by UNESCO as one of the world’s intangible cultural heritages.

Many people think that a visit to a Mexican restaurant makes them a culinary expert on it. But the truth is that there is a lot more than tacos and burritos. Real Mexican food comes from the soul of Mexico and its people. The plethora of difference between the Tex Mex food and the authentic one is a mile. The staples for Mexican cuisine are corns and beans. Masa is dough made of corn and it is used in making tamales, tortillas and goditas. They also use rice as an accompaniment to many dishes. They also use squash and peppers in their cuisine for additional flavor, texture and color. The usual herbs that they use in Mexican cuisine are chili, onion, oregano, cinnamon, garlic, cilantro, epazote and cocoa.

The best way to cook it is to have the staples mentioned above and get them as fresh as you can. The freshness of the vegetables will definitely show in your dishes. Also makes sure that you tasted some authentic Mexican food already so you know the original taste rather than just getting the taste from a fusion restaurant. Getting the right spices and blends is the key in achieving the great flavor of it.

If you want great tasting masa, then do it yourself. Remove corn kernels from the cob and boil it with some cal, which is a powder substance added to get the starch out of the corn, then let it cool and grind it and you have fresh masa. If you wanted to taste the best mixture of Aztec culture and Spanish influence, then it is the best cuisine to represent that. It is a luxurious blend of spices and flavors that represent Mexico not only food wise but culturally as well.

Here are some Mexican dishes that you can try: Tortas Ahogadas, Papadzules, Menudo, Empanada Dough, Beef Empanada Filling, Birria, Adobo Sauce, Traditional Molé, Tamalitos, Refried Beans, Chile Verde, Shredded Beef, Tamales, Chicken Enchiladas Suiza. And these are just to name a few of the delectable dishes of Mexico. In the beginning, it is cooked in an open fire, which is still applied in some areas in Mexico. Another technique that they use is the barbacoa, or steaming the meat on top of boiling water. Frying is also one of the cooking techniques used in Mexican cooking. It is used in taquitos, chimichangas, and flautas.

Tips to remember in cooking Mexican food
1. Make sure that you only get the freshest ingredients.
2. Some dishes require long cooking time like the Molé sauce for chicke
Molé.
3. Make sure that you taste the authentic one first before cooking so that you can distinguish the flavors.
4. Keep on trying.

Remember that authentic Mexican Cuisine is the best way to taste the flavors or Mexico. Be inspired with these information and happy cooking!