Mexico, the land that gave us chocolate, tequila and avocados. But this special place, sandwiched between North and Central America, is so much more than the burritos and tacos you can find at your local Mexican restaurant. If you’re considering a visit to this beautiful country, you need to familiarise yourself with these stellar local foods so you can dine like a pro.
1. Tamales
Tamales are made of masa (a starchy, corn-based dough) and can be filled with cheese, vegetables, meats, fruits and pretty much just about anything else. The fillings are steamed inside a corn husk or banana leaf, which is tossed away before digging in. Fun fact: tamales have origins in Mesoamerica as far back as 8000 to 5000 BC where the Olmeca, Tolteca and Aztec and Mayan civilizations used them as portable food for their armies and hunters.
2. Mole
Mole can come in many forms and flavours but the simplest way to put it is that it’s a sauce that finds its way into a variety of dishes. The sauce comes in a variety of colours depending on the spices and ingredients used; you can enjoy thick paste like mole that’s black, red, yellow, green and everything in between. Mole is strongly associated with celebrations in Mexico and is widely regarded to be an acquired taste for many non-natives.
3. Enchiladas Verdes
Enchiladas are corn tortillas rolled up, and stuffed with a variety of ingredients that range from meat, beans, cheese, vegetables, and potatoes and are covered in a chilli pepper sauce. The “verdes” comes from the use of green tamatillos, which are not tomatoes but do belong to the same family despite the dissimilar taste.
4. Tostadas
In Mexico, tostada typically means a flat or bowl-shaped tortilla that’s either toasted or deep fried. While they can be consumed on their own (and undoubtedly taste delicious) tostada can also refer to any dish that uses one as its base. They are usually made out of corn but can also be made out of wheat flour as well.
5. Flan
This delicious Mexican dessert (also a favourite of Spain) is made with milk, sugar and eggs, and can have many different flavours that range from coffee flan to chocolate flan. Flan is guaranteed to melt in your mouth with its sponge cake base and sweet glaze drizzled on top.
6. Pozole
Get ready to enjoy a hearty stew that will satisfy you like nothing else. This traditional soup, once having held ritual significance, is made with dried kernels (hominy), meat (usually pork) and is seasoned with chile peppers, garlic, radishes, onion, salsa, avocado and limes.
7. Tacos Arabes
This delicious type of taco is widely regarded as the most popular fast food in all of Mexico. With Arab origins, the taco arabe featured shredded, spit-roasted pork that’s been wrapped in a pita-style flatbread that is then garnished with salt, salsa and lime juice.
8. Sopaipilla
Sopaipillas are essentially little deep-fried pockets of doughy goodness that are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. If you order one of these mini fried treats in a restaurant, you’ll be presented with a bottle of honey to soak your sopaipillas in.
9. Elote
Elote is essentially corn on the cob but Mexico takes this standard dish to a whole new level. Travellers can find elote served as a standard Mexican street food and is prepared by either boiling or grilling the cob within its husk. Served on a stick, the corn is then covered in everything from salt to cheese to lime juice to sour cream and more, before being served.
10. Tacos al pastor
Taco al pastor is a Lebanese inspired dish that looks and tastes quite similar to shawarma. This savoury Mexican delight is made of marinated pork that’s been seasoned with spices, pineapple, onions and dried chilli peppers. The pork is slowly cooked on a rotisserie which is then sliced off the pit and served on small tortilla that have been garnished with diced onions, cilantros, spicy salsa, and then topped with lemon or lime juice for a touch of refreshing citrus.
11. Chiles en nogada
The perfect sweet dish to end any day of feasting in Mexico, chiles en nogada consists of poblano chilli peppers filled with picadillo (a mixture usually containing shredded meat, fruits and spices) that’s been topped with a walnut-based cream sauce, known as nogada, and pomegranate seeds. This patriotically coloured dish will truly make you drool as you bite into its apple and sweet-milk pear or criollo peach centre as cream and pomegranate drips down your face. Make sure you time your visit accordingly so that you can enjoy chiles en nogada during pomegranate season (usually early October to January).
Did I miss one of your favourite Mexican dishes? Add yours in the comments below!
Featured image by Cristopher Gonzalez
