ENCHILADA
The name of a simple and tasty dish can be “tied” to two languages: in English “whole enchilada” means “all at once”, and in Spanish “enchilar” means “season with hot pepper”. The basis of the enchilada is tortilla, so named by the conquistadors of Spain. The very Indian flatbread reminded them of an omelets.
The tortilla for the enchilada is not a simple one, but with red pepper, so the tortilla turns out pinkish-red. It is soaked in vegetable oil, chicken meat is placed on top (pork or beef is possible), rolled up, sprinkled with cheese, and heated. The enchilada is served with fried potatoes and horchata, a drink made from rice, vanilla, almonds, sugar and cinnamon.
SALTED
At every step in Mexico there are posolerias – small eateries where you can taste pozole. This is the name of a thick dish, suitable for the first and second, and it also perfectly helps with a hangover: it gives strength and relieves headaches.
The leaves of the Mexican nopal cactus are stewed together with pork and corn, tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, and seasonings are added. Tomatillos is a local vegetable with a taste similar to green tomatoes. Instead of pork, sometimes they put chicken or fish in the salting – in any version the dish turns out divinely tasty.
SOPA DE LIMA
Mexican lemon soup is anything but simple. Made with chicken breast broth, it is light and tasty. It contains red onions, green chilies, avocado, Regan, tomatoes, and a lot of lemon juice. Served hot with tortilla and chips. You can eat three plates at one time, and then remember with horror about your figure – sop de Lima is very high in calories, like any Mexican dish.
ENSALADA DE FRIJOL NEGRO CON RABANITOS
Behind that long, fancy name in Spanish is a salad. The main ingredients are radishes and black beans. The salad is really scary in appearance – black beans don’t look very presentable, so for tourists this dish is often made from red beans.
Boiled or canned beans are mixed with chopped radishes, generously sprinkled with green onions and dill, and seasoned with mayonnaise or vegetable oil. Mexicans say that this salad is a powerful aphrodisiac and mental stimulant at the same time. It’s no wonder that salad was one of Frida Kahlo’s favorite dishes.
TAMALE
Historians claim that the natives of Latin America treated newcomers from Europe to tamales. Several types of meat are boiled for a long time, then torn into small pieces and mixed well. The point of a tamale is that the meat mass is homogeneous, and it is impossible to understand where the pork is and where the chicken is.
A meat base is placed on a masa tortilla made from corn flour, topped with tomatine, garlic and chili sauce, and wrapped in corn leaves. The dish is steamed and the corn leaves are not eaten – they are used only for flavor. Tamales are eaten with very cold tequila.
Taco
To make tacos, you need to fill corn tortillas with meat or fish, add vegetables and be sure to add salsa. Top the taco with chopped cilantro, tomatoes and onions. One of the most famous variations of the dish is al pastor with grilled pork, onions, cilantro, pineapple and salsa.
If you have always dreamed of trying something more exotic, you can visit the most gastronomic state of the country – Oaxaca. There you can find the most interesting variations of famous dishes – for example, tacos stuffed with ant eggs.
Mole
Can any restaurant or café do without mole sauce? Not really! The Mexican variation on the classic curry typically consists of 20 ingredients, including chili peppers, cloves, anise, coriander, raisins and almonds. To prepare the sauce, all ingredients are thoroughly ground and cooked for a long time over low heat. The most popular of the mole sauces is mole poblano, to which chili peppers and chocolate are added. Mole poblano is served with turkey or chicken with sesame seeds.
While we’re on the subject of poblanos, try tender, cheese-stuffed poblano peppers for lunch. A great mood is guaranteed!
Tamale
Walking through the streets of Mexican cities, it is impossible not to notice tamales. This dish is the crown jewel of Mexican street food. Tamales are ground cornmeal baked in corn leaves. The fillings in the dish can be very different – chicken, cheese, vegetables, chili peppers, fruits and many other ingredients. Tamales are most successfully combined with the thick maize drink atole.
Enchiladas
The glorious dish of enchiladas has a very long history. It originated in Mayan times and is still the flagship of Mexican cuisine. Great enchiladas can be the perfect breakfast, hearty lunch or delicious dinner. No matter what time you turn to it, this dish will fill you with pleasant warmth and a feeling of satiety. By the way, for the most ardent fans, every September in Iztapalapa, a suburb of Mexico City, an enchiladas festival is held!
Pozole
What can I say, pozole was eaten in Mexico even before the arrival of the conquistadors! To get its deep flavor, pozole cooks for hours and most often simmers overnight. When serving, fresh cabbage, radishes, chopped onions, chili peppers and cilantro with oregano are added to the soup.
Tostada
If you fry tortillas, you get delicious tostadas – these are crispy tortillas that are filled with a variety of fillings – beans, chicken, cheeses, salads, guacamole and sour cream. One of the best variations is the ultimate tostada salchicha, topped with ground beef salchicha, lettuce, tomato and salsa. By the way, there is a wonderful variation with seafood – this is tostada de atun with raw tuna, avocado, corn, cilantro and green onions.
Quesadilla
What is a quesadilla? This is a tortilla that is stuffed with cheese, vegetables or meat and fried in a pan until the cheese melts. There are many filling options for quesadillas – from chicken, salsa and guacamole to sour cream, zucchini, spinach and beans. In addition to frying in a pan, quesadillas are grilled or deep-fried until crisp.
Birria
It can be beef, goat, lamb, veal or pork in spices – everything is unsurpassed, everything is delicious! Birria is cooked until the meat melts in your mouth and the flavor acquires a special depth. Please note that chicken is not used to make birria. In the state of Jalisco, the homeland of the dish, birria is made from goat meat, and in Mexico City it is made from lamb, pork or beef.
