Mexican food is simple, yet exotic. Full of flavor and elements of ancient cultures. Most of the main ingredients are the same as what they were in the days of the Mayans and Christopher Columbus. Of course there have a few modern additions or adaptations, but the real essence typical in Mexican food is in the fresh ingredients and traditional methods of preparation. Let's take a look at the most commonly used items in the food of Mexico.
Agave Nectar The nectar of the Agave is almost twice as sweet as sugar, and much easier to harvest than honey. It is therefore substituted for sugar and honey quite often. Tequila is also made from Agave, in particular Blue Agave. It is said the Mayans discovered tequila when lightning struck a large Blue Agave plant causing the nectar to boil. They tasted the substance and voila! a new beverage was discovered!
Fruit There are a few fruits very typical in Mexican dishes. Papaya is a usual ingredient, as is Guava and Opuntia or prickly pears. Chamoy is a savory sauce used in Mexican cuisine that is made from an amalgamation of pickled fruits. Fruit is packed in dry salt. When the fruit dries, it is sold as a snack. The leftover mixture is seasoned with vinegar, chili peppers and other spices, becoming Chamoy sauce. Dragon fruit is also a common Mexican food, but is usually called pitahaya.
Corn/Maize Maize is the precursor to corn, but is still grown in Mexico. It was one of the main staples of Mayan and Aztec nutrition, and therefore used quite creatively. Today, corn smut, a disease of maize, is still used for consumption. It is a fungi that feeds off the corn plant, is harvested and then usually used as a stuffing for quesadillas. Hominy is another common ingredient in Mexican food, and comprises of dried maize and treated with alkali.
Greens Chiplin is a legume native to Mexico, typically served boiled, green or used as a herb. The seeds are also dried and used in tamale dough for color and flavor. The Malvilla de Laguna is a bean used in the making of salsa, particularly in Guerrero. Nopales are a vegetable made from the segments of the prickly pear. They are very common in tacos, salads and with eggs, called carne con napoles.
Chili Chili peppers are the most common element of Mexican food, along with tomato and tomatillo. There are hundreds of varieties, with hundreds of levels of heat. Do not assume the more red the pepper the hotter it is, consult a Scoville scale for a real assessment of chili heat.
Now that we have covered some of the basic ingredients, we will move on to the meats and spices found most in Mexican dishes. There are of course some regional differences, but generally all of the above items are used throughout the country. Prepare to be educated!
Agave Nectar The nectar of the Agave is almost twice as sweet as sugar, and much easier to harvest than honey. It is therefore substituted for sugar and honey quite often. Tequila is also made from Agave, in particular Blue Agave. It is said the Mayans discovered tequila when lightning struck a large Blue Agave plant causing the nectar to boil. They tasted the substance and voila! a new beverage was discovered!
Fruit There are a few fruits very typical in Mexican dishes. Papaya is a usual ingredient, as is Guava and Opuntia or prickly pears. Chamoy is a savory sauce used in Mexican cuisine that is made from an amalgamation of pickled fruits. Fruit is packed in dry salt. When the fruit dries, it is sold as a snack. The leftover mixture is seasoned with vinegar, chili peppers and other spices, becoming Chamoy sauce. Dragon fruit is also a common Mexican food, but is usually called pitahaya.
Corn/Maize Maize is the precursor to corn, but is still grown in Mexico. It was one of the main staples of Mayan and Aztec nutrition, and therefore used quite creatively. Today, corn smut, a disease of maize, is still used for consumption. It is a fungi that feeds off the corn plant, is harvested and then usually used as a stuffing for quesadillas. Hominy is another common ingredient in Mexican food, and comprises of dried maize and treated with alkali.
Greens Chiplin is a legume native to Mexico, typically served boiled, green or used as a herb. The seeds are also dried and used in tamale dough for color and flavor. The Malvilla de Laguna is a bean used in the making of salsa, particularly in Guerrero. Nopales are a vegetable made from the segments of the prickly pear. They are very common in tacos, salads and with eggs, called carne con napoles.
Chili Chili peppers are the most common element of Mexican food, along with tomato and tomatillo. There are hundreds of varieties, with hundreds of levels of heat. Do not assume the more red the pepper the hotter it is, consult a Scoville scale for a real assessment of chili heat.
Now that we have covered some of the basic ingredients, we will move on to the meats and spices found most in Mexican dishes. There are of course some regional differences, but generally all of the above items are used throughout the country. Prepare to be educated!
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