The Mexican Version of Tex-Mex

Most of us refer to fajitas, tacos and guacamole as Mexican food. In every North American city, you’ll find tex-mex restaurants- restaurants claiming they offer Mexican food but let me tell you, it’s far from being authentic. Then you have those higher scale restaurants where you pay $20 for tamales. Yes, the tamales taste ok, but tamales for $20? They are nuts!

When spending 5 months in Mexico, I must admit that the best part of it all was the culinary experience. Of course, the art, the history, the culture were also a very interesting aspect of my experience in Mexico, but my favorite part of it all was nothing more than EATING! Mexican cuisine is filled with tasty and colorful spices which result in a wonderful experience for your taste buds!

Tamales

Although tamales were born in Mexico, thegy are now a popular dish all over Central America. Tamale is a starchy corn-based dough wrapped in plantain leafs. There are over a thousand different recipes. The salty tamales include different types of meat in the corn mix (chicken, pork, etc) whereas the sweet tamales will contain dried fruits or raisins. They can be served as a snack or as a meal (along with mole sauce or frijoles).  

Posole

Posole is a traditional soup or stew corn-based stew from Mexico. Every region in Mexico has its own way of preparing the dish. You’ll find different types of meats (chicken, pork, turkey), sardines and/or chili powder. it’s normally served with tortillas, as most other Mexican dishes. You cannot leave Mexico without trying posole. It’s very tasty!

Nopales

Nopales are the leaf of the nopal cactus. Once the spines are carefully removed, they are cooked and served with a main course meal.  You should definitely try it next time you find yourself in Mexico.

Tacos al pastor

So what do Mexicans eat after a night out dancing? Yes! Tacos al pastor from a stand in the street. They are tacos filled with pork and served on a flour tortilla. Really delicious!

Chile Relleno

Growing up, my mom would often make stuffed peppers and I was never a fan of it… until I ate Chile Relleno, the equivalent of stuffed chile) in Mexico! It’s basically a chili pepper pepper filled with meat and cheese. Then it’s fried in an egg bater or corn masa flour. It’s then served with a sauce (tomato or any type of mole sauce).

Mango con Chile

When I first arrived in Mexico, I wasn’t accustomed to eating very spicy. But my taste buds quickly adapted to the chili used in almost every Mexican dish. But not only were they used in dishes, they were also sprinkled on fruits! Mango with chile is a real treat! Do it at home… Buy real Mexican chili (in powder) and sprinkle it on your mango. YUM!