The staples of Mexican foods are typically corn and beans.
Corn is used to make masa, a dough for tamales, tortillas, gorditas, and many other corn-based foods. Corn is also eaten fresh, as corn on the cob and as a component of a number of dishes.
Squash and peppers
are also prominent in Mexican cuisine.
Mexican cuisine is considered
one of the most varied in the world, after Chinese and Indian.
The most frequently used herbs and spices in Mexican cuisine are chiles, oregano, cilantro, epazote, cinnamon, and cocoa.
Chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, is also common in Mexican cuisine. Many Mexican dishes also contain garlic and onions.
Honey is an important ingredient in many Mexican dishes, such as the rosca de miel, a bundt-like cake, and in beverages such as balché.
Next to corn, rice
is the most common grain in Mexican cuisine.
A brief history on some of our favourite Mexican food
When looking at the history of traditional Mexican food and food
culture, it is interesting to know that traditional Mexican meals were
cooked over an open fire on ceramic pots or cast iron skillets. Food was
also steamed or fried.
Salsa was sold in the Aztec market places. Salsa, the Spanish word
for sauce, is uncooked and sometimes pureed until chunky, smooth, or
chopped. Large red tomatoes, tomatillo, chipotle {a staple in the Aztec
diet} and the avocado are found in the modern salsa, and are the same
core ingredients used in the past.
Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, the Mexican diet did not
include dairy products, so cheese was unknown. The Spanish
conquistadors brought cows, goats, and sheep changing Mexican dietary habits for ever.
We can thank the Aztecs for
Chocolate. It was through them that the Spaniards brought the product to
Europe in 1657.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_cuisine
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