TRADITIONAL MEXICAN RECIPES

Most of the Mexican cuisine you get these days is based on pre-hispanic influences, which include Mayan and Aztec traditions, along with culinary influences that the Spanish colonists brought with them. The Quesadilla, for instance, is a corn or flour tortilla filled with cheese, usually with Queso Fresco, which is a Mexican-style soft cheese, pork, chicken, beef, and so forth. The chili pepper is the indigenous part of this and various other traditional Mexican recipes. Because of the rich variety of vegetables that are used, such as radishes, cauliflower, broccoli, chilies, green peppers, and chili peppers, along with a variety of meats, Mexican food tends to be very colorful. Some regional recipes from the states of Yucatan and Veracruz also have a hint of Caribbean influences. The bolillo, pronounced ‘bo-lee-yo’, a Mexican version of the French roll, seems to reflect French influences too, since the French had also occupied Mexico.

Traditional Mexican cuisine is full of spicy, rich dishes, so if your taste buds have a taste for adventure, just tuck into these yummy recipes:

Mexican Style Rice

1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup onion, diced
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cans tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron
3 cups water

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Put the onions in and saute until brown. Add the rice, and stir so that the oil coats the grains. Then add the bell pepper, tomato sauce, chili and cumin powder, garlic, salt, saffron, and water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reducing the heat, allow it to simmer. Let it cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nice and tender, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Guacamole

3 avocados, peeled and mashed
1 onion, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced

Put the mashed avocados, onion, jalapeño pepper, the bell peppers, lime juice and cilantro in a medium sized bowl, and mix them all well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate, and it is ready to serve.

Delicious Tomato Salsa

3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced finely
5 serrano chilies, chopped finely
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice

Take a medium bowl, put all the ingredients in it, and stir well. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Taqueria Carne Asada Tacos

3 pounds steak, flank
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
1 tsp white pepper, ground
1 tsp black pepper, ground
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt

1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced

2 large sized tomatoes, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 New Mexico chile pods, dried
1 pinch salt and pepper

1 (32 ounce) packet corn tortillas
2 cups cotija cheese, grated (optional)
2 limes, sliced into wedges

Take a large sized glass baking dish and put the steak in it. Then, put the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic cloves, olive oil, and the juice of two limes in a medium sized bowl, and whisk together. Next, season with the salt, white pepper, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika and cumin powder. Mix all of these well and pour over the steak, turning it so that both sides are coated. Then cover it with a plastic wrap and let it marinate for 1-8 hours.

Then take a small bowl and mix together one chopped onion, the juice of one lime, and cilantro, and keep this aside to be used as a relish for the tacos.

Take a skillet and heat it over medium to high heat, and toast the chili pods in it for a few minutes. Then put them in a bowl of water and let them soak for about half an hour.

Next, pre-heat the oven to 230 degrees C (450 degrees F). Put the tomatoes, jalapeños, one onion, and 4 cloves of garlic on a baking sheet and roast these in the oven until toasted, about 20 minutes. Put these roasted vegetables and the soaked chili pods in a food processor or blender, with the pepper and salt, and puree until it is smooth.

In a large skillet placed over medium to high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Cut the marinated steak into strips or cubes, put them in the oil, and cook until most of the liquid evaporates and the meat is tender.

In a skillet, warm the tortillas for a minute or so, until they are pliable. You can warm tortillas in a microwave oven too. Arrange 2 to 3 tortillas on a plate, and put a generous helping of beef on them, and top them with some of the onion relish and a big spoon of pureed salsa. Sprinkle as much cheese as you like and garnish with the wedges of lime, and serve.

Beef and Bean Quesadillas

2 cups cooked roast beef, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups of chunky salsa
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
3 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 (10-inch sized) flour tortillas
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Take a small bowl and combine the cilantro, salsa, and lime juice. Then, in another bowl, mix ½ cup salsa, corn, and beans, and put the remaining salsa aside.

Put the beef, bean and cheese mixture on one half portion of each tortilla and fold the other portion over it. Heat a large sized skillet on medium heat, put one tablespoon of oil in it, and cook the quesadillas on both sides, or until the cheese melts, using more oil if required. Cut them into wedges and serve with the salsa.