El arte más poderoso de la vida es hacer del dolor un talismán que cura, una mariposa que renace florecida en fiesta de colores. ~ Frida Kahlo
Doesn't that sound sexy ,tasty and delish ?
For me Absolutely !
Hola Amigos !!
I am sure you might have already guessed it ...It is Mexican/Spanish !! And that is a quite famous quote in Spanish by the well-known Mexican Painter,Frida Kahlo and it best describes yours truly,ME!!
It means ,"The most powerful art of life is to make pain a talisman that heals, a butterfly that is reborn, blooming in a feast of colors."
I love Spanish/Mexican language ! That flow of words when spoken by anyone sounds so sexy to me which I adore listening to and so does Mexican foods ,when eaten at any restaurant, it tastes simply delicious to me - fresh,natural,little spicy,crunchy,little sour,little creamy,cheesy,little sweet and saucy....Yummmy,my dil goes mmmmm!!....My kind of favorite food !!In fact,a family favorite go-to food!!
The tortilla reminds me of our Indian Roti/Indian Flatbread,different sauces remind me of Indian chutneys,a few desserts remind me of the Indian version of custards,cakes,puddings,few tropical drinks, remind me of Indian juices and mostly the exclusive use of rice,beans,vegetables ,spices,chillies,meat,seafoods,coconuts,jackfruits especially ,makes the Mexican food my most favourite kinda comfort food that I can have anytime,anyday.
I am not a fan of fast foods.When it comes to restaurant foods ,after Indian food, I find Mexican cuisine to be comparatively healthy food.Thanks to husband (BhogRaj G ;D:P) for introducing me to the various cuisines for sure! Being a foodie and a hardcore cooking enthusiast, the edible experiences widened my taste buds and helped me to expand my cooking experimenting horizon, far and wide.
Needless to say,I started making lots of Mexican foods at home trying my best to keep it more healthy innovatively. Not only is Mexican cuisine delicious but also not time-consuming to prepare.
I don't know about you but for me, it sounds so satisfactory , warm yet alluring and it simply means "I love Mexican foods !"
Like I mentioned in my previous posts about my love for Thali food ,I got a little bored doing the Indian versions and I wanted to try something different yet something that satisfies my hunger pangs in every way.And I always wanted to make a full-on Mexican meal.So here I am with a new version of my hunger games...with all my favourite quick-to-make and quick-to-finish Mexican recipes with my personal twist yet doing my best to honor the Mexican traditions which somehow I adore to the core ...
Good food that tastes/represents especially a traditional Mexican home,traditional utensils used like in India ,the humble claypots, age-old grinding stones ,mortar and pestle called "molcajete", Molinillo used for whipping chocolates etc,Barbacoa used for grilling like Tandoori in Hindi or barbecue in English,using Banana leaves for food/cooking,grilled corn on the cob,street vendors selling varieties of street foods /antojitos,use of dry red chillies,peppy music,warm yet exotic dance,down-to-Earth (urban) yet contemporary culture ,folklores related to Mayan/Aztec civilizations ,breathtaking tourist worthy places in Mexico are what makes me incline towards the Mexicans.Admiro !!
Soy mi propia musa, soy la persona que mejor conozco, soy la persona que quiero mejorar
Meaning "I'm MY own muse, I'm the person I know best, I'm the person I want to improve."
Mexican foods are believed to have originated from the Mayan and Aztec civilizations.
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
I didn't ! So,let me share with you all the "Aha" factor of the Mexicana!
Credit:Google
- In 2010 Mexican cuisine was added to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity, an honor that acknowledged not only the exceptional dishes and cooking techniques but also the social importance of the foods in the Mexican culture. ~ Mexicohistorico.com
- Tomatoes ,Corn,hot chocolates, and Vanilla originated in the Mexico.
- Tacos are usually eaten as a light lunch in Mexico traditionally and they are so much preferred that they have dedicated a whole day as National Taco day celebrated on the March 31st in the Mexico and October 4th in the US.
- Mayan Legend says that Tortilla was invented by a peasant as an edible gift to a King about 12ooo years ago which was later adapted and recreated by the Mayan and Spanish civilizations and which gained popularity far and wide.
- Mexican Tortillas are made with cornmeal/corn flour as the main ingredient while Spanish Tortilla is made with potatoes and egg omelette.
- Tortillas can have different fillings including insects like grasshoppers and other strange parts of animals (Holy Moly ,I'lll keep that in mind! ) and even have a sweeter version of fruits and ice cream (Bring it on!).
- Pan-fried grasshoppers called chapulines and cactus called nopales are quite famous in the Mexican cuisine.
- Mexico is home to about 300 types of chili peppers and more than 50 varieties of corn.
- Like Indians celebrate "Pitru Amavasya" dedicated to praying and paying homage to our ancestors, Mexicans also have a day dedicated to the dead loved ones called,"Day of the dead!".
- There is a funny breakfast recipe called Huevos divorciados meaning divorced eggs.LOL
- The popular Mexican food,Fajita was invented by a group of cowboys in Texas.
- Universally favored Tequila and Margarita alcoholic drinks originated in Mexico.
- World's largest pyramid is located in Cholula, Mexico.
Wowieee....Thanks for improving my General Knowledge!
And hence , adoro la comida mexicana ...meaning I LOVE MEXICAN FOODS !!
As I was researching and learning about the Mexican culture I realized that just like Indians,they also use food as a wonderful excuse to bond and celebrate family,friends,people and life in general tastefully.
While Tacos,Tortillas,Salsa,Guacamole,flan are becoming staple foods in most of the hybrid kitchens around the world ,then there are Churros,Burritos,Mojitos,Taquitos,Cabritos,Pepitos,Jarritos,Antojitos which sounds like the name of some edible Missiles ....I mean reminds me of that dialogue from the movie "3 Idiots" ...."Tum Gujarati log itne cute hote ho, par tum log ka khana itna khatarnak kyun hota hai - dhokla, fafda, handva, thepla - aaise lagta hai jaise koi missiles hai.(meaning Gujratis are so cute but their foods like dhokla,fafda,handva,thepla sounds like names of some Missiles) Exactly !!....No wonder ,kyu ye Mexican log bhi itney cute lagthey hain....ha ha ha...
So like a Mexican saying ,"Barriga llena, corazón contento" meaning the secret of a simple life is a full (edible)belly and a happy heart .
Having said that ,“Hay que comer para vivir, no vivir para comer.Quien come con cordura, por su salud procura .De la panza sale la danza”. meaning eating to live, not living to eat. Those who eat with sanity, provide for their good health ,for, from the stomach comes the drooling dance of life or energy to live life to the fullest/worth.
So,"Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious",said Ruth Reichl and so do I .
So ,Menú de comida ,my Mexican food menu recipes comprise of :
1.Chicken Burritos - Did you know that ?
- Burritos means "little donkey" in Spanish and originated in Northern Mexico .During the Mexican Revolution of the 20th century,foods wrapped in tortillas were famously coined the name "Burrito" which seemed convenient to carry on donkeys far and wide .
- The largest burrito ever made weighed over 12,785 lbs and stretched 2.4 km in length.(Credit:Factnight.com) Holy Cow!!
- The most expensive burrito ever sold was priced at $5,000 and featured luxurious ingredients such as Kobe beef and black truffles. (WTF-What The Food !! indeed)
- In 2006, NASA included a special type of space travel-friendly burrito called the “Thermostabilized Bean Burrito” on the menu for the space shuttle Discovery.
- Not Mexico but San Francisco holds the title of the “Burrito capital of the world”.
- Matt Stonie achieved a remarkable feat in 2016 by consuming 47 Chipotle burritos in just three minutes.
- National Burrito Day is celebrated annually in the USA for burrito enthusiasts.(Courtesy:Fact Bud.com)
Chicken Burrito
Ingredients
- First, prepare boiled rice and any beans like I have used the Black beans (Pressure cooked for fast cooking the beans), and keep them aside as shown in the video.
- Then prepare Salsa Verde as shown in the video or below in the post.
- Marinate the chopped chicken pieces with the seasoning spices and keep them aside for a few minutes.
- Then heat oil in a pan ,shallow fry the chicken pieces, and transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a plate.
- In the same oil lightly fry the chopped bell peppers,corns,serrano peppers and cooked black beans to make it flavorful.Once cooked or soft transfer them to a plate.Some people prefer them fresh but I love them a little soft/lightly cooked yet crunchy instead.
- Since I like melted cheese in Burrito ,I am gonna put a little cheese on top of the cooked chicken pieces on a pan and allow the cheese to melt lightly on low flame .Do not keep them for long or it will stiffen up/turn hard.Then transfer it to a plate.
- Heat a skillet or a wide pan, place a Tortilla on it and cook both sides on low flame until a little soft/lukewarm but not for too long or the Burritos will harden up and it will be difficult to fold into a proper Burrito or else the filling will fall down and it won't be that tasty to eat as well.
- Then put off the flame and transfer the Burritos to a big plate and let's make the Burrito my way.
- Layer - Put some cooked chicken pieces with melted cheese as needed,little bit of the mixture of cooked bell pepper,corn,serrano peppers and black beans,little bit of pineapple chunks,pomegrante seeds,cucumber chunks,shredded lettuce,smear some Salsa Verde,Tomato salsa,Guacomole,top it with all sauces and sour cream as needed.
- Make sure not to overfill as it will be difficult to wrap the tortilla into a Burrito properly.Then as shown in my Mexican recipes video,fold the Tortilla with all fillings etc gently into a yummy Burrito tight and secured.
- Serve it hot and fresh .If you are gonna eat later,wrap it in an aluminium foil .Burritos always taste best when served FRESH.
- Enjoy bite by bite with the extra salsas and Guacamole to your taste.
- Mexico City is called the Taco capital of the world.
- The Grand Velas Los Cabos resort in Mexico creates the world's most expensive taco, sold at $25,000 made up of a gold-flaked corn tortilla, langoustines, Kobe beef, Almas beluga caviar, and black truffle Brie cheese. (That is a mouthful to digest...I am Speechless!!)
- The largest taco in the world weighed around 1,654 pounds (750 kg) and was made in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.(That gave me the inspiration to make those mini tacos for sure without being lazy next time.)
- Bizarre tacos include grasshoppers,insects,waffle, alligator, bacon, s'mores, larvae, and cauliflower tacos. (V-omit that !!)
- TwistedTacos.com mentions," The first-ever food truck was probably a taco truck".
Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
How to make Tacos
- Heat a skillet or a pan ,place a tortilla on it, and cook both sides until "lightly" warm on low flame.Don't keep it for too long or it will harden up.
- Once warm ,transfer it onto a plate and layer all ingredients one-by-one ,topping it with cheese,sour cream, and sauce of your choice.
- Just fold the tortilla wrap like a D shape .Grill it to make it the crispier version if needed.
- That's it my Chicken Taco is ready to serve..Serve it fresh for the best taste and serve it with more sauces, salsa and guacamole on the sides.
6.Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde
Ingredients
How to make Salsa Verde at home:
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Lightly roast all vegetables one by one.Saute until they look roasted.
- Then turn off the gas.Let it cool a bit.
- I used my grinding stone to make a thick salsa verde or blend all roasted ingredients into a blender with a little bit of water and blend everything into a not-so-runny yet thick salsa.
- Add salt to taste.
- That's it my easy Salsa Ver is ready to serve.
- Serve it as a side dish/dip/spread/sauce/condiment in/with Burritos,Tacos etc..
- This salsa is very spicy and it usually looks green in color but since I used Mexican red chili ,it looks tad red in color.
Stove Top Mexican Flan| Caramelized Custard Mexican style|Receta de Flan
Ingredients
How to make a no-bake/stove top Mexican Flan at home :
- Take a wide and deep pan and fill it with half a quantity of water and bring it to a boiling point and then reduce the flame.Put a pressure cooker grid or as I have seen in some Youtube videos a big folded tissue paper as the base for even cooking of the custard .The tissue can be placed later when the custard is ready to cook .
- Meanwhile let's make the custard base,take all the ingredients (break the egg) mentioned under the custard base into a blender and blend it into a very smooth LUMP-free liquid base.Transfer it into a wide bowl.Keep it aside.
- Now, to make the caramelized sugar syrup,take a steel pan and add sugar and a little water to it and let it sit there on low flame until it starts melting .
- Then give it a stir to make sure all the sugar melts gradually and uniformly by itself.Just leave it alone but keep an eye so that the sugar doesn't get stuck to the bottom and uneven.
- Even try to swirl the pan for the same purpose in between making sure it doesn't burn or get stuck till the sugar changes its color to light brown.
- Let the sugar melt completely and turn light to dark brownish color.
- If it thickens up and gets stuck , just add the extra water to it and that will gradually melt the sugar(high-moderate-low flame),creating a not-so-thin yet thick caramelized sugar syrup.The caramelized syrup should be dark and in a flowy yet thick consistency .
- Immediately once you prepare the caramel syrup,once again stir the custard ingredients prepared in the blender well to make sure that it is lump free ,smooth and well-combined .
- Take a bowl that can stand boiling pressure and transfer the caramel syrup first into it immediately and let it cool down a bit for a minute,so that it will thicken up the caramel base and it won't mix up with the custard base.Even if it does a little bit,it's ok.Then add the custard base mixture little by little.
- Cover it with the aluminum foil and place it VERY GENTLY AND CAREFULLY onto the pressure cooker grid or the tissue base.
- Keep the flame low and cook it up for an hr or 15-30 minutes longer if needed until evenly cooked.Cover it with a lid.
- After an hour or so,turn off the flame.
- VERY VERY CAREFULLY using a tong or using towels just try to take out the bowl out of the deep pan.
- Let it cool off.Then refrigerate for 3-4 hrs or until set ,jiggly yet shaped.
- It is best to refrigerate it overnight so that the flavor and texture sets in aptly.
- Next day just remove the foil and using a knife gently loosen the custard from all sides.
- Then take a plate and cover the top of the bowl and flip.
- Gently tap to release the custard onto the plate.
- Aaand there you go,the creamy,jiggly,sweet ,silky Mexican Flan is ready to EAT !!
- Que Rico !!😋
- I've used a small egg instead of a medium or a large egg as I don't like any egg taste in my custard.
- To tone down that eggy taste I've used the cream cheese for that matter which makes the custard more creamy and less jiggly if not used.
- My trials with caramelization showed me that sugar caramelizes well and even in a steel pan than other pans comparatively.Once you caramelize the sugar it is best to use it immediately or it may thicken up and it would be difficult to use it then or if that happens then just add a little water to the sugar and bring it to a boil and then lower the flame until the thickened up sugar melts completely golden brown.
8.Arroz Con Leche |Rice Pudding Mexican style
Arroz con Leche|Rice Pudding Mexican Style
Ingredients
How to make leftover rice pudding Mexican-style
- First, boil the milk into the saucepan or a wide pan.
- Once it reaches the boiling point ,reduce the flame and add the rice and cinnamon stick to it and let it simmer for a few minutes.
- After 15 minutes or so,add the condensed milk to it and stir everything until well-mixed.
- Let it simmer for a few minutes until the pudding thickens up a little but not too much.
- Then add more sugar if you need it.
- Just before turning off the cooking gas,add the lemon/orange peel and give a gentle stir.Donot cook for long or it may curdle and lemon or orange rind is used to give it the traditional citrus flavor.
- Turn off the gas and allow it to cool off.
- Refrigerate it if you wish (Tastes best for me ) .
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon/orange peels ,transfer it into small bowls and serve it immediately and garnish it with cinnamon powder.
- That's it my Mexican-style rice pudding,Arroz Con Leche is ready to serve ...
- Appetitoso !!
Churros recipe|Mexican finger Fritters
Ingredients
How to make Churros at home :
- Boil water in a deep pan.Then reduce the flame.
- Add sugar and butter to it.Let the butter melt completely.
- Add the vanilla essence to it and a pinch of salt to it and mix well.
- Add the all-purpose flour little by little and stir it with a ladle until it turns into a soft dough and all the water evaporates.Keep the flame low.
- Allow it to cool off a bit .But don't leave it afterward for long.
- Then transfer the dough into a wide pan and knead it into a soft dough.
- Then add the egg into it and then transfer everything into a blender and blend it into a smooth LUMP-FREE dough.
- Heat oil in a WIDE pan (it can fry a lot in one batch).
- Put the star tip into the piping bag and cut off the tip so that the star tip is partially out.
- Then transfer the smooth lump-free dough into the piping bag with tip and push the dough down gently and twist the top and tie it with a baking band ,tight and secured.
- Now put little dough into the oil and if it springs back to the top ,then oil is ready for deep frying.If it does then start making churros.
- Gently push the piping bag with the dough into the hot oil and once you get a finger-shaped churros just cut it one by one (repeat) and push them all into the oil for frying.
- Do not overcrowd and keep the flame low.Donot fry on high flame or they will burn up.
- Keep on flipping when needed to make sure all sides are cooked and lightly browned.
- Transfer the fried fritters to a bowl/plate.
- Repeat until all dough is finished.
- Allow them to cool down but not too long.
- Then make a mixture of cinnamon powder and sugar equally.I used the readymade one.
- Then roll each churros onto the Cinnamon-sugar flour.
- Transfer one by one onto a wide bowl.
- Enjoy as it is or popularly with chocolate sauce/nutella/readymade caramel sauce for an exotic kick.
- That's it Mexican style finger shaped fritters ,Churros are ready to munch.
- Mmmmmm Sabroso!!!
Pina Colada Aqua Fresca Recipe|Pineapple Coconut Drink
Ingredients
How to make pina colada Aqua Fresca at home:
P.S.🌺🌺🌺I dedicate this post on the auspicious occassion of Dev Diwali/Tripurotsav/Gangaotsav/Guru Nanak Jayanthi Nov 15th 2024.#PraiseTheDivine #LoveLightToTheWorld 🌺🌺🌺
DISCLAIMER:Everything is just about sharing my passion for food and for informational/entertainment purpose only .Not for any personal attacks which is otherwise purely coincidental!