Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Mexican Dishes

It is claimed that Mexico has the most vast and varied cuisine in the world, after Chinese, which might be something of a shock to Mexican fast food fiends who thought that burritos and tacos were the only kinds of food Mexicans eat. Every area of Mexico has its own recipes and the Yucatan fare is especially flavorsome, with its Caribbean, Mexican, Mayan and Lebanese recipe influences.

Not all Mexican dishes are spicy but some are. A lot of chili peppers are used in Mexican meals and there are many types of chilies, including serrano, habanero, poblano, jalapeo, pasilla and more. Mexicans enjoy eating meat, fish, poultry, seafood, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and grains. Sauces, soups, and stews are often made in Mexican households and cooking methods include deep-frying, slow roasting and baking.

Mexicans like to eat fresh fruit and vegetables and anything older than two days is not considered fresh. Costly pesticides and herbicides are hardly used and produce is picked when ripe or very nearly ripe. Imported food is usually shunned in favor of locally grown produce and everything is grown nearby. The exception would be Mexico City, where produce that is not likely to be sold is exported.

Traditional Mexican Food

One of the main components of a Mexican typical meal has to be tortillas. These are balls of masa, or corn dough, flattened to a CD sized disc. They are so much of a staple food that the government maintains the price at five pesos a kilo! Authentic tortillas are made of corn and they are freshly made in the supermarket all day long. They are used to make tacos and traditional tacos are soft, rather than the prefab U-shaped ones you would see in Mexican fast food joints.

Tortillas, tacos, and tamales are made from corn. Many stews and soups use beans such as lentils, fava beans, and kidney beans. Tomatoes are used in a lot of recipes, especially salsa recipes.

Fruit is enjoyed fresh or used to make desserts and sauces. Mango, papaya, pineapple, and coconut are all popular with Mexicans and nopales, prickly pear cactus paddles, are sauted and eaten like vegetables. Alternatively, they can be sweetened and used in Mexican dessert recipes.

Salsas and Condiments

A lot of people favor the addition of salsa, lime, or sour cream to their food. In a traditional Mexican restaurant, you will also get small bowls of condiments. These are likely to include chopped onion, cilantro, a mild chili salsa, a hot chili salsa, salsa Mexicana and lime. Salsa Mexicana is made from chopped onion, chopped fresh tomato, cilantro and habanero chili. You might also get guacamole, which is an avocado and lime sauce. Charred green onion mixed with salsa ingles (Worcestershire sauce) and limejuice is another well-liked Mexican condiment.

Many Mexican food recipes are rich in flavor and color and the use of fresh produce is important. A lot of people make the mistake of confusing Mexican fast food and Tex Mex style Mexican cooking for real, traditional Mexican food but authentic Mexican cuisine is a true delight.