Expanding Your Knowledge about Mexican Ingredients
Traditional Mexican cooking uses many ingredients you may not see every day in your supermarket. Other ingredients can be found almost anyplace. Learning about these fascinating foods can help you know how to use them when you make authentic Mexican recipes. You will also understand the importance they have in Mexico’s cuisine.
In Mexico, they use fruits like cacao, chili peppers, avocados, tomatillos, and tomatoes, among others. These foods are used in many dishes ranging from main dishes to desserts. Chile peppers add spice to dishes like meats, rice, sauces, and desserts. Avocadoes are eaten fresh, as toppings, or sauces. Chocolate is derived from cacao and used for beverages, sauces, and desserts. Tomatoes and tomatillos add a lot of color and flavor to salsas, main dishes, and sauces.
Herbs such as boldo, which is a leaf used for tea; epazote, which is a pungent herb often paired with bean dishes; hoja santa, also known as the root beer plant, whose leaves are often used in cooking or to wrap tamales; Mexican oregano, which has a deeper flavor than Italian oregano, and many other herbs are used to season recipes. Some of these herbs may be found in the Latino section of the supermarket.
Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla are often used in traditional Mexican desserts. They can also be used in savory dishes as well, giving a rich depth of flavor you may not expect. Honey is another wonderful natural ingredient that is frequently used in Mexico.
Diet staples in Mexico include rice, beans, and corn. At least one of these foods is eaten at every meal. When beans and corn are served at the same meal, they form a complete protein. You would think that this would get old after awhile, but Mexican recipes keep these foods varied and exciting. There are so many different ways to combine and prepare them that this is not a problem.
Vegetables such as cactus (also known as nopal), chayotes, squash, onions, potatoes, and yucca are used in stews, roasted dishes, and other flavorful dishes. Other vegetables like mushrooms, lettuce, scallions, garlic and others round out the meal.
Most Mexican recipes are meat-based, but there are vegetarian dishes. Meats eaten in Mexico include turkey, pork, beef, chicken, goat, rabbit, mutton, horse, and seafood. Unusual meats like iguana, turtle, and armadillo are also eaten in some areas. Insects make up a portion of the diet, especially grasshoppers and ant larva. When families cook large cuts of meat, they are often boiled first and then roasted over a low heat until done. The meat can then be added to almost any recipe the family is making.
Unusual ingredients that you may find while looking at Mexican recipes may include chia seeds, tequila, huitlacoche (a fungus that sometimes grows on corn), and slaked lime (mixed with cornmeal; it makes the corn easier to digest). Chia seeds, which you may be familiar with as the plants grown on Chia Pets sold on television, are actually nutritional powerhouses. The seeds have a mucilaginous quality that adds fiber to the diet and helps the digestion. Chia seeds can absorb 12 times its weight in water, providing liquid to your body.
If you have always wondered about making refried beans that do not come in a can, fear not. This is just one of many simple Mexican recipes that you can make easily at home. You can even make it into a healthy side dish! Use some seasonings, herbs and roasted garlic to make some frijoles you will never forget.
