Authentic Mexican Foods You Should Try in Mexico

Mexico CityIf you want to have more than a sample of authentic Mexican cuisine, going to places like Taco Bell and Chipotle might not cut it. While these aforementioned places have a few authentic items, even those come with major American influences. So, if you are ever at one of the luxury Cabo villas for rent in Mexico, here are some traditional dishes—including those already known in the Western world—you ought to try out.

CHILAQUILES

Tangy, creamy, and usually eaten for breakfast or brunch, chilaquiles are basically lightly-fried quartered corn tortillas (totopos) softened with green salsa or mole sauce, topped with white cheese and/or sweet Mexican cream, and served with refried beans as a side dish. Common variations include adding pulled chicken and scrambled or fried eggs. The dish also varies by region. For example, central Mexico residents keep the tortilla triangles crisp by keeping all ingredients on the plate and pouring the salsa or mole last. Also, raw onion rings and avocado slices are added with the cream and cheese.

GORDITAS

Gorditas are small cakes that have a crisp exterior and soft stuffing. A thick tortilla—traditionally made with masa harina (nixtamalized corn flour)—is deep fried, drained of excess grease, and stuffed with cheese, meat, and salsa, among other fillings. Due to the simplicity of cooking it, the gordita—which means “little fat one” in Spanish—is a popular street food in Mexico, particularly in Mexico City. Some people use other types of filling, which include beans, eggs, potatoes, shredded or ground beef, pork or chicken stew, and sautéed chile strips. North Mexico residents in particular occasionally use wheat flour. Gorditas are usually eaten as a midday meal, with an accompaniment of a rich variety of salsas.

ELOTE/ESQUITE

Another popular street food in Mexico, elote is basically corn on a cob—but with a twist. It is smothered with a host of ingredients that includes mayonnaise, white cheese, lime, and chile powder. In the urban areas of southern and central Mexico, the kernels are transferred from cobs to cups; this version of the elote is sometimes referred to as esquite. Customers can request their favorite toppings to be added into the cup, and the entire concoction is eaten with a spoon.

POZOLE

In the United States, this soup—which is primarily made from corn and has been eaten long before the arrival of Europeans in the Americas—is known as “posole.” In the empire of the Aztecs, pozole was consumed on special occasions, which was mainly due to the sacredness of the maize plant in the area. After the Spanish conquest, the ingredients changed, but not the maize—and the meat it is cooked with. Today, pozole is prepared from corn, meat (usually pork, chicken or turkey), chili peppers, pork rinds, and other garnishments and seasonings. Pozole is the national soup of Mexico, similar to borscht in Russia or French onion soup in France.

TACO

Unquestionably the most popular Mexican food item in the U.S., the taco is often thought of as a hard corn shell stuffed with meat, salsa or red chili sauce, shredded lettuce and corn. However, in Mexico, adding guacamole and cilantro is very common, and street hawkers fold warm tortillas into small moons right in front of consumers. Also, there are countless variations of the taco. One of the most unique ones is the taco dorado, which literally means “golden taco”; this is because it is pre-filled, rolled into an elongated cylinder, and deep-fried into a crisp.

This article was contributed on behalf of Del Mar Escapes, your number one choice when looking for a great vacation in Mexico. Check out their website at www.delmarescapes.com/cabo-villas-beach-resort for more information! 

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