Traditional Mexican Food Is About Chiles
Today it ocurred to me that I need to talk about the ingredients and traditions within authentic Mexican food. I have to say that this is also related to culture. You have to understand that many of today's simple recipes are based on ingredients that are originally from Mexico and the Spaniards took back to Europe. Examples are chile, chocolate, gold, silver, beans, vanilla, pineapple, and a cactus called agave (they extract tequila from it).
To take about Mexican food history, the first ingredient that comes to mind is chile (or chili). It comes in every dish, in different intensities. Mexicans consider that without it, food is tasteless. But, how many chilies do we know?
1. Chile Poblano. This is a green pepper. I shouldn't be called chili poblano, because it's a pepper and it's not very hot. The taste is smokier than normal peppers, and normally when it's involved in Mexican food recipes it is previously smoked for a better taste. Poblano pepper is prepared mainly in two dishes: (1) rajas, and (2) chile relleno (stuffed poblano).
2. Chile Habanero. This chile is the hottest of all. Forget the idea of even biting it. The best habanero is orange or yellow and it comes from the Yucatán area. It's one of those Mexican foods that I advise you to be careful with. I've tried it in salsas, and they're delicious if you eat in small amounts.
3. Jalapeno. This is the most popular chili, especially in the Southwest of the United States, but I've seen it everywhere in the world. Mexicans will stuff it, cook it, salsa it, slice it, bite it. It is basic to almost any dish in Mexico.
4. Chile Serrano. It looks green like the jalapeno, but thinner. It is hotter than jalapeno, but with a similar taste. You'll try it in many different versions, especially in salsas or "pico de gallo" sauce. You should take at least some of the seeds out.
5. Chile chipotle. This is a smoked jalapeno and the techniques to smoke date back to the Aztecs. The test is very nice and not as hot as other chilies. This one is used in simple recipes for mexican food as well as in the more complex ones. Some recipes involve chipotle, for example dressings, sauces, adobos (marinades), etc.
Enjoy and don't forget to send your comments to officialmexicoguide@gmail.com
To take about Mexican food history, the first ingredient that comes to mind is chile (or chili). It comes in every dish, in different intensities. Mexicans consider that without it, food is tasteless. But, how many chilies do we know?
1. Chile Poblano. This is a green pepper. I shouldn't be called chili poblano, because it's a pepper and it's not very hot. The taste is smokier than normal peppers, and normally when it's involved in Mexican food recipes it is previously smoked for a better taste. Poblano pepper is prepared mainly in two dishes: (1) rajas, and (2) chile relleno (stuffed poblano).
2. Chile Habanero. This chile is the hottest of all. Forget the idea of even biting it. The best habanero is orange or yellow and it comes from the Yucatán area. It's one of those Mexican foods that I advise you to be careful with. I've tried it in salsas, and they're delicious if you eat in small amounts.
3. Jalapeno. This is the most popular chili, especially in the Southwest of the United States, but I've seen it everywhere in the world. Mexicans will stuff it, cook it, salsa it, slice it, bite it. It is basic to almost any dish in Mexico.
4. Chile Serrano. It looks green like the jalapeno, but thinner. It is hotter than jalapeno, but with a similar taste. You'll try it in many different versions, especially in salsas or "pico de gallo" sauce. You should take at least some of the seeds out.
5. Chile chipotle. This is a smoked jalapeno and the techniques to smoke date back to the Aztecs. The test is very nice and not as hot as other chilies. This one is used in simple recipes for mexican food as well as in the more complex ones. Some recipes involve chipotle, for example dressings, sauces, adobos (marinades), etc.
Enjoy and don't forget to send your comments to officialmexicoguide@gmail.com
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