Giving your
taste buds something new
Smriti Daniel takes you on a guided
tour of Mexican cuisine
We know this is exactly what you’ve
always wanted, so let’s not pretend otherwise.
Yes, dictionaries on Mexican Cuisine are few and far
between – of course we sympathise if you have
despaired of ever telling the difference between an
Enchilada and a Burrito. But if you know that a great
accompaniment to a salsa is a tortilla (and not a Gloria
Estefan track, as many would have you believe), then
there is still hope for you, my friend.
Without further ado, let us dive in
to the fray. Wilfully ignoring the order of the alphabets
we will begin your instruction in the basics of Mexican
food.
Say hello to…
Tortillas: In Mexican terms a tortilla
is a kind of unleavened bread, generally made from maize
(corn) or wheat flour. It tends to appear in many dishes,
transforming from starter to main course and even sliding
into the occasional experimental dessert.
However, a word of caution. If you
order a tortilla in Spain, be prepared for a surprise.
Here a Spanish tortilla, tortilla española or
tortilla de patatas all refer to a common recipe–
an omelette with stir-fried potatoes and chopped onion,
often served as a staple food in Spanish bars and cafés
– with no bread in sight.
Tacos: A taco is a traditional Mexican
dish made of a rolled or folded, pliable maize tortilla
filled overflowing with some delicious fillings. Meat
fillings in tacos, as you can easily believe, are the
most common and feature everything from grilled beef
and fish, to chicken and pork. Be warned though, that
there are numerous regional and personal variations
on the theme of taco fillings… so make sure you
don’t inadvertently order insects!
Common condiments and additions include
chopped onion and cilantro, chillie-based salsa, guacamole,
and garnishes such as pico de gallo.
Spanish rice is a dish made from white
rice, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and other ingredients.
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Salsa |
Salsa: In Spanish or Italian, ‘salsa’
can refer to any type of sauce, but in English it usually
refers to the spicy, often tomato-based sauces typical
of Mexican cuisine, particularly those used as dips.
A common example is Salsa roja (red sauce), usually
made with tomatoes, chili peppers, onion, garlic, and
fresh cilantro (coriander leaves).
Birria is a spicy Mexican meat stew
usually made with goat, lamb or mutton, often served
during festive periods, such as Christmas and New Year’s
Eve.
Burritos: A burrito usually begins
with a mix of meat (beef, chicken or pork) with other
ingredients such as rice, beans and salsa. The ingredients
are then wrapped in a large flour tortilla that has
been lightly grilled (or sometimes steamed) to soften
the tortilla and make it more pliable.
Enchiladas: The enchilada is typically
made with a corn (maize) tortilla which is fried briefly
to soften it, and then dipped in the chosen enchilada
sauce.
The tortillas are then filled and
rolled up, placed in a casserole, and layered with sauce
and possibly other additions such as cheese, chicken,
vegetables, seafood, eggs, potatoes and even bananas.
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Burritos |
Common garnishes are sour cream, diced
or sliced onions and grilled cheese (enchiladas suizas.)
Since this is a very simple dish to prepare, the phrase
“estas no son enchiladas” (these are not
enchiladas) is used, tongue in cheek, in Mexico City
to refer to something that is not simple.
Gordita: A gordita consists of a small,
thick tortilla made with masa (corn flour).
The gordita is typically baked on
a pan and then fried. You can tell a gordita and a taco
apart on the basis of the thickness of the tortilla–a
taco uses a thinner one. Appropriately, Gordita means
‘little fat one’ in Spanish.
Guacamole is an avocado-based relish
or dip from the time of the Aztecs. In addition to avocados,
the basic ingredients are lime juice, salt, and a large
amount of black pepper.
Variations often include tomato, chillies,
onion, coriander, garlic, and other spices. It is usually
eaten with tortilla chips, although it can be spooned
onto or into almost any savory Mexican dish.
Quesadilla: Taken from “queso,”
Spanish for “cheese,” this dish is made
up of a tortilla folded over shredded cheese or a cheese
slice, which might also include cooked meat and/or peppers.
It is then fried, deep-fried and sometimes
spiced with salsa.
The term can also be used for a pair
of tortillas, with the cheese and other fillings between
them, similarly cooked.
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