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Many Americans have never tasted authentic Mexican cuisine. While there are restaurants that do specialize in authentic Mexican food, most Mexican restaurants serve an Americanized version of Mexican food known as Tex-Mex. You don't need to travel south of the border to experience the taste of authentic Mexican cuisine, however. You can prepare real Mexican dishes in your very own home kitchen! This page outlines how to make authentic Mexican food that will delight your family and friends
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Introduction
- Authentic Mexican cuisine is a blend of the native foods eaten by the indigenous Mexicans, with the culinary traditions of the Spanish conquistadors. Mexican food varies by region, so in Veracruz, you'll find an emphasis on fish, while chocolate is used to prepare savory mole sauces in Oaxaca.
Step 1: Authentic Mexican Ingredients
- In order to create authentic Mexican food, you'll probably need to venture beyond the international aisle of your local supermarket. While some grocery stores do carry some of the ingredients necessary to stock a Mexican kitchen, you'll probably need to visit a Mexican grocer or order online to find all the items you'll need. In addition to the chicken, beef, tomatoes, onions, garlic, dried beans, and rice that you may already have in your kitchen, you'll want to stock up on the following ingredients to prepare many authentic Mexican dishes:
- Spices and herbs:
- Annatto
- Dried chiles
- Cilantro
- Epazote
- Produce items:
- Banana Leaves
- Seville oranges
- Cactus
- Chayote
- Fresh chile peppers
- Huitlacoche
- Plantains
- Pumpkin seeds
- Squash blossoms
- Tomatillos
- Meat and cheese:
- Queso fresco (Feta cheese can be substituted)
- Chorizo
- Grocery items:
- Mexican chocolate
- Masa harina
Step 2: Authentic Mexican Cooking Techniques
- While you don't need a lot of specialized equipment to make Mexican food, there are some general guidelines about tools and techniques.
- Using fresh foods is a hallmark of authentic Mexican cuisine. There are a few exceptions, however. For example, most Mexican home cooks no longer make their own tortillas at home, because it is too time consuming, and good tortillas are available inexpensively.
- Traditional Mexican cooking relies on a mortar and pestle to blend spices.
- Many Mexican foods are fried. Mexican cooks usually use heavy cast iron frying pans because of cast iron's ability to retain heat.
- Grilling, broiling, and steaming are all cooking techniques used frequently in Mexico.
Step 3: Authentic Mexican Menu Planning
- A Mexican dinner typically begins with a soup (sopa) or a broth (caldo). This is followed by a second course, which is called a sopa seca (meaning dry soup). This is not a soup at all, but a pasta, rice, or bean dish. The main course is usually a meat or fish served with one or two vegetables. The postre, or dessert, is served with coffee. Although Mexican restaurants in the U.S. recommend margaritas to accompany Mexican meals, the beverage of choice in Mexico is usually a beer.
Step 4: Authentic Mexican Recipes
- There are several good cookbooks that can provide information about authentic Mexican cuisine, as well as a number of online sources. Here are a few recipes to get you started.
- Taiwan News Online: Mexican Food, for Real (May 1, 2009)
- Food Network: Tamales de Huitlacoche
- PepperFool: Birria
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