While visiting Mazatlan, Mexico, I have learned that it is the herbs and spices used in Mexican cooking that truly make the meal. If these ingredients were not added, a Mexican dish would not differ greatly from many others. The herbs and spices used in Mexico help make the cuisine special. It is good to learn all you can about them.
Probably the most well known seasoning in Mexico is chile powder. This is made by mixing many different chilies that have been dried and ground. Chilies are also used fresh or roasted. Chipotle is made from jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and dried. Ancho is made from a chile with a sweet, fruity flavor. Many commercial chile powders that are found at the store are made of a combination of chilies, salt, oregano, garlic, coriander, and cumin.
Epazote is an herb that you can grow in your garden. Some call it Mexican tea. This herb is traditionally used in bean dishes to not only add flavor but to help digestive upsets that beans can cause. A few leaves are added while the beans are cooking. Be careful when you use epazote because it is very potent. Large quantities of this herb can be toxic.
Annatto seeds give food a distinctive flavor and a yellow coloring. It is often used in rice dishes and sauces. The seeds should be soaked in water for at least an hour. After soaking, they are crushed. Sometimes recipes call for the water that the seeds were soaked in; others call for the seeds themselves. They are often used in marinades along with other spices.
You see cilantro at a lot of Mexican restaurants used as garnish or added to tacos and salads. It looks a lot like flat leaf parsley. Cilantro is what they call the leaves of the coriander plant. It should always be used when fresh. Cilantro has a tangy, pungent flavor that it imparts easily to salsa, rice, moles, beans, soups, and stews. It has a way of brightening up a dish.
Cumin is a spice made from the seeds of the cumin plant. They can be used whole or ground into a powder. Cumin is often used in conjunction with chile powder to create a balance in flavor. It is often used in soups, stews and other common dishes. Azafran is known as Mexican saffron, or safflower. This spice is used in very small amounts because it can be bitter. It causes the dish to develop a beautiful saffron like color and is often used in rice and seafood dishes.
In Mexico, they have a unique type of oregano that is earthier in flavor than Italian oregano. You can find this Mexican oregano in some herb catalogs. Unless you live in an area with a large Mexican population, it may be difficult to find it in local nurseries or grocery stores.
Take time to learn the familiar flavors of Mexico by paying attention to the spices and herbs they use every day. An authentic Mexican taste is impossible without them. Make the most out of your Mexican cooking by learning the correct way to use these spices. Your meals will be amazingly good once you learn the secrets of these seasonings.
Here is a recipe for Pico de Gallo, which is something we’re eating nearly daily while we are here as it is delicious as well as healthy as it is made fresh daily with fresh ingredients:
Ingredients
* 6 medium Tomatoes diced
* 1 medium Onion diced
* 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro chopped.
* 2 to 4 Fresh serrano or jalapeño seeded and minced
* garlic powder just a pinch * Salt to taste
Put all ingredients in a bowl add 1/2 cup of cold water, mix well. Let set a few minutes. You will find a lot of recipes in this site, where we can use the pico de gallo for cooking and a garnish.
Not every country can claim fame for its cuisine but there are quite a few famous Mexican foods which are known all over the globe, including tacos, tamales, fajitas and many more. Mexican cuisine is exciting and unique and it is easy to fall in love with this magical food.
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