Who doesn’t love Mexican food? Tacos, quesadillas, and salsas have slowly grown to reach our dinner tables, but there’s more to Mexican food than tacos. Here’s everything you need to know!
First, a bit of history. Mexican food is mainly based on native crops like corn, tomatoes, avocadoes, beans, and cocoa. Common staples like rice and wheat came from Europe but quickly became part of Mexican cuisine.
Most Mexican dishes are pepper-heavy. Not only the super spicy ones we’ve come to know and love but also some very subtle tasting peppers you might not even know are there. Bell peppers, guajillo, jalapeños, and poblanos–peppers are what give Mexican food its distinct flavor. Each dish can change not only by the type of pepper but also the preparation it goes through, like chipotle (AKA smoke-dried) or mulato/ancho (unripened/ripened poblano).
On the other hand, corn (although sometimes eaten whole) is often found in the form of delicious tortillas. These thin flatbreads are cooked in a pan and they can be baked, rolled, wrapped, fried, or eaten on their own.
The kind of Mexican food we’re mostly accustomed to is called “Tex-Mex”. These are Mexican dishes influenced by US styles and ingredients. Tex-Mex food is usually rich in shredded cheese and cumin, which aren’t commonly found in traditional Mexican food.
Step out of your Mexican comfort zone and get to know more dishes besides the traditional tacos. Get ready to enjoy some delicious meals!