Mexican gastronomy is characterized by its dishes of Creole origin. Many date from pre-Hispanic times, but were modified with the arrival of the Spanish. In Mexico, meals are not called a plate, but dishes. The typical food of Mexico is one of the most delicious in the world and we anticipate that burritos and nachos are not Mexican.
Typical Mexican food: for the most demanding
Cochinita pibil
The cochinita pibil is a dish of Yucatecan gastronomy (in the southeast of Mexico). It consists of pork marinated with achiote, a reddish pigment. Although today it is prepared in Mexican kitchens in a saucepan, the original recipe is made with banana leaves that wrap the stew and bury it in a hole in the ground called píib (buried, in Mayan).
The cochinita can be eaten in tacos or in tortas (sandwiches), accompanied by pickled red onion and habanero chili, for the bravest. A variant of the little pig is the piglet. We can only tell you that if you have the opportunity to try it, do not hesitate to do so: it is a true delicacy.
Chiles en nogada
Chiles en nogada are a typical Mexican food dish characteristic of Puebla, in the center of the country. For many, this is the national dish of Mexico. It is prepared with poblano chili that is filled with a stew of minced beef and pork and fruit. It is called “en nogada” because it is seasoned with a nut sauce called nogada and pomegranate seeds. And why is it the national dish of the country? Well, because its presentation includes green, white and red, colors of the Mexican flag.
The story goes that chiles en nogada originated when Agustín de Iturbide’s Army of the Three Guarantees (religion, union and independence) (hero of Mexican independence and first emperor of Mexico) entered Puebla on its way to the Mexico City; The nuns of the Santa Mónica convent took the colors of the triguarante flag (green, white and red) as a reference and decided to create a saucer. This happened in 1821, when Mexico achieved its independence from Spain.
mole poblano
The mole has pre-Hispanic origins and was used as an offering to the gods. There are about 50 types of mole in Mexico, but one of the most characteristic is the poblano. Mole is a sauce that is served with chicken or with enchiladas (tortillas folded into triangles); its ingredients are dark chocolate, ancho, mulatto, pasilla and chipotle chiles; It also has almonds, bananas, walnuts, raisins, sesame seeds, cloves, cinnamon, parsley, pepper, onion and garlic. You’ll love it.
pozole
Pozole is a broth made with grains of a variety of corn called cacahuazintle . It can be accompanied by chicken or pork. There are many varieties of pozole, depending on the region you are in. But it is characterized in that the corn kernels are cooked in water with calcium hydroxide or lime; This process is called nixtamalized. Afterwards, the grains are cooked again until they burst. It requires many hours of preparation!
Dogfish bread: one of the best dishes of typical Mexican food
Pan de cazón is our favorite dish of typical Mexican food along with cochinita. It was invented in Campeche, in the south of the country. We tell you that the dogfish is a kind of shark that is consumed a lot in this area and, for this dish, the dogfish is roasted, fried and crumbled. Take two corn tortillas, which are smeared with strained beans; the strained bean is a bean broth, which can be several days old, which is taken to the blender.
A tortilla is placed, the dogfish and then another tortilla that is seasoned with a delicious fried tomato sauce. Habanero chili can be added.
No: burritos are not a typical Mexican food dish
Burritos are American food, specifically Tex-Mex. In Mexico they don’t eat burritos, they eat tacos, gringas, huaraches, flautas and many other types of “tacos” which are basically corn tortillas stuffed with different things and served in different ways. These are some of the Mexican tacos:
Barbecue
The barbecue is a style that they have in Mexico to prepare beef, sheep, goat, chicken, venison, etc. This is characterized in that the meat is cooked in its own juice or steam. The traditional method to prepare the barbecue comes from the state of Hildalgo, in the center of the country. The barbecue is prepared in a kind of oven that is dug into the ground and covered with stones (preferably from the river) preheated the day before. The meats, after seasoning, are wrapped in maguey leaves.
Michoacan style carnitas
Yes and a thousand times yes. If you ever come across them, feel free to try them out. There are different types of carnitas in Mexico, but the best ones are from the state of Michoacán. In its preparation, lard is used to fry them, as well as copper or stainless steel saucepans (very important). There are different types of Michoacán carnitas: solid or mixed, and the one with leatherette (compact pork fat that gives it a unique flavor). As a curiosity, we tell you that the recipe contains milk, orange juice and even cola. The carnitas tacos are something from another planet!
Quesadillas: you can prepare them yourself
Quesadillas are very easy to prepare, so you can make them yourself at home. They are made with corn tortillas, but wheat tortillas are also used. The quesadilla, as its name suggests, is filled with cheese, folded in half, and heated on a comal (a flat Mexican utensil). At home you can prepare them in a pan and even in the microwave. In Mexico City they consider that quesadillas can do without cheese. Something that neither the rest of Mexicans, nor us, understand.
Antojitos, an emblem of typical Mexican food
There is another kind of typical Mexican food: snacks. We love Mexican snacks! They are called that because they are street food that is eaten as an appetizer, but also at breakfast and dinner. As a curious fact, the appetizers are not served at noon, unless, of course, it is a starter.
Tlalpeno broth
A starter, but you can also find it at dinner. It is a chicken consommé cooked with onion, tomato, garlic, carrot, pumpkin, chickpeas and xoconostle (a kind of nopal). The broth is served with chipotle, lemon and avocado. It is still not known for sure where the tlalpeño broth came from. Some say that he is from Tlalpan (south of Mexico City), others that he is from Jalisco and still others, from Veracruz.
Charro beans
Undisputed kings of typical Mexican food . Although the recipe is quite simple, not everyone prepares good charro beans. The beans or red beans are stewed with onion, garlic, chili, bacon (bacon) and sausage. Tomato, cilantro, chorizo and pork are also added. We advise you to put a little lime on top.
ranch eggs
Ideal for breakfast: fried eggs on fried corn tortillas and accompanied by tomato sauce, chili and other chopped vegetables. They are accompanied with refried beans.
Tamales
Tamales have pre-Columbian origins and consist of a corn dough that is filled with meat and other ingredients, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Tamales are the daily bread in Mexico, but they are usually for dinner. They are served at children’s parties, the day of the dead and to celebrate the end of Christmas (something that happens, by the way, on February 2). There are sweet and savory tamales. Sweets and corn or corn are usually consumed for breakfast; we like them seasoned with sugar.
