Mexican food is delicious and diverse cuisine. Mexican culture spreads far outside its borders, with large populations found in America and many other countries around the world. This article will explore some of the most popular foods from this region — tacos, burritos, and so much more.
Tacos
Tacos are corn tortillas wrapped around a filling of meat, beans, or other ingredients. The word “taco” is Spanish for “plug”, so named because they were once used to plug ammunition in cannons. They can be served plain with simple toppings like onion and cilantro, but more complex mixtures of meats and spices are also popular.
Tacos can be made from various fillings, including beef, chicken, pork, or even fish — but the most famous taco filling is tacos al pastor (translation: ‘shepherd style’). This meat mixture comes from Lebanese immigrant workers who brought their shawarma recipe to Mexico in the 1930s. The meat is typically cooked with chillies and pineapple, giving it a sweet flavour as well as heat.
Burritos
Burritos are flour tortillas wrapped around a filling of rice, beans, cheese, and other ingredients. They can be eaten alone or cut into slices for sharing like an Italian pizza, but they’re most popular when served as a handheld meal. Burrito fillings can be as simple or complex as you like, but the most common are rice and beans (typical of Mexican cuisine) plus cheese and meat.
Beans
Beans are an important part of Mexican food. They’re used in everything from burritos to soups. Pinto beans (frijoles) are popular in Mexican cooking, and black beans (frijoles negros).
Cheese is another common ingredient. It’s used to top off dishes like enchiladas and tacos al pastor. Queso fresco (“fresh cheese”) is a mild white cheese that crumbles easily. It can be found at some grocery stores, but if you can’t find it fresh. Shredded queso Blanco or cheddar cheese are both great substitutes.
Chips
Chips and salsa are the classic Mexican snack food! Tortilla chips are deep-fried corn tortillas that come plain or flavored with salt and lime powder (known as totopos). Salsa is a spicy tomato and chilli-based sauce that’s eaten with chips or on top of burritos and tacos.
Chocolate
Chocolate is another Mexican treat! The Mayans were the first to discover ways to process cocoa beans into drinkable chocolate, which they ate for pleasure and ritual purposes. They would mix in chillies, nuts, and spices to make their chocolate even more unique.
Chocolate is still a popular beverage throughout Mexico, and it’s also used as an ingredient in some Mexican dishes like mole sauce (a mixture of chilli peppers, spices, and unsweetened chocolate). Mole poblano comes from the city of Puebla – home to the first-ever French bakery in Mexico!
Mole sauce
Mole sauce is a rich and savoury combination of ingredients that you can use to top off tacos, enchiladas, and even pasta. It’s made with unsweetened chocolate (a key ingredient), chilli peppers, spices like cinnamon and cloves, and more. The flavour combinations are endless – some moles also include fruits like raisins or olives.
Conclusion
In Mexico, food is not just fuel for your body. It has been intertwined with culture and politics from ancient times on. In modern society, it is still seen as an essential part of one’s identity. While people might be eating the same ingredients as their ancestors, each Mexican cook has a unique style to make it special.
Just like the food, Mexico’s history is rich and exciting. There are many things you can learn from its culture, including cuisine if you take a moment to investigate what lies beneath the surface of every dish.
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