How To Cook Mexican Food-Equipment and Ingredients Needed

Many people nowadays are interested to learn how to cook Mexican food. Burritos, tacos and enchiladas were once considered exotic foods, they are at present as familiar as earlier imports of pizza, egg rolls and quiche. Because of their vibrant flavors, enticing textural contrasts and eye-catching colors these Mexican dishes have been readily accepted into our menus.

Mexican cuisine is more diverse than the taco lover may suspect. Based on foods for instance corn, tomatoes, chilies and beans, this cuisine has develop over centuries and was shaped by unique geography, climate, indigenous foods and the native Indian culture. Mexican cuisine was also enhanced, but not overshadowed, by the Spanish introduction of their cooking techniques and domestic animals.

Using authentic ingredients and cooking techniques, preparing a Mexican food is easy and success is ensured even to the novice cook. Furthermore, learning how to cook Mexican food is more fun when all the ingredients and utensils are available.

Mexican cuisine requires very little in the way of specialized utensil, but a handful items call for some discussion.

Mortar and Pestle: Used to grind whole spices, herbs and nuts into a powder. The mortar is a bowl-shaped container and the pestle is a rounded-bottomed utensil. The mortar and pestle come as a set and are created out or marble, hardwood, porcelain or stoneware.

Bean Masher: A solid wooden block or perforated metal disk attached to a handle, this tools s very useful for the proper stirring and mashing needed to make refried beans. If necessary, a potato masher can be substituted.

Electric Spice or Coffee Grinder: A tiny appliance that effectively and quickly grinds whole spices. It could be used to prepare pure fresh chili powder from whole dried chilies. It is also used to grind seeds and nuts into the fine powder that is needed for several sauces, a function neither the blender nor food processor performs well.

Tortilla Press: The press consists of two flat metal disks (usually 6 inches or 15 cm in diameter) that are hinged on one side and have a pressing handle attached at the opposite side. It is readily available in cookware shops and Mexican markets. A tortilla press is essential for speed and accuracy if you plan to make corn tortillas on a regular basis. Nonetheless, you could improvise pressing the dough with the bottom of a heavy skillet or pie plate.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

The ingredients are normally available in Mexican stores or groceries. Many can be found in supermarkets and gourmet food stores and many could be purchased in other Latin American, Caribbean and even Oriental food stores.

Tortillas: The mainstay of Mexican cuisine. the thin, flat breads are made of corn or wheat flour. Nothing could compare with the taste and texture of freshly produced tortillas, but making them at house requires some practice and skill. Tortillas are readily available in the supermarket and the may be substituted for house-created tortillas. Corn tortillas usually measure between 5-6 inches in diameter; flour tortillas are available in many sizes, ranging from 7 to 12 inches in diameter.

Tomatillo (also called tomate verde or Mexican tomato): A tiny hard, green fruit with a papery outer husk that is pulled off before using. Tomatillos have a distinct acidic flavor and are used extensively in cooked sauces. They are available fresh or canned (often labeled tomatillo entero). There is no substitute.

Masa Harina: A specially prepared four used to make corn tortillas, tamales and other corn-based doughs. It is commonly available in 5-pound bags.

Annatto Seeds (also called Achiote): Little, hard crimson-colored seeds used primarily in the Mayan-based cooking of the Yucatan. The seeds impart a deep yellow color and mild but distinctive flavor. They are soaked to soften or ground to a find powder before using.

Chayote: A pear-shaped, pale green, soft-skinned squash with a delicious delicate flavor. It is also called mirliton or christophene. Chayote is generally available in the winter months and could be eaten raw, sauteed or baked. Store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Cilantro (also called fresh Coriander or Chinese Parsley): A pungent herb with green delicate leaves, the same in appearance, but not flavor, to flat-leaf parsley. Used extensively in Mexican cooking, there is no substitute. Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week with the stems in a glass of water; cover the leaves with a plastic bag.

Jicama: A root vegetable with thin tan-brown skin and crisp, sweetish, white flesh. Shaped like a large turnip, jicama is most commonly used raw in salads or eaten as a refreshing snack. It should be peeled before using. Store it in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Onions: White onions with a sharp bite are used in Mexican cooking and are necessary for flavor balance and authenticity. Yellow onions are too mild and impart an undesirable sweetness when cooked.

Chorizo: An orange or red-colored course-textured pork sausage sold bulk-style or stuffed into casings. The flavor ranges from highly seasoned to quite hot. Always remove the casing before using.

Queso Chihuahua: A rich semi-soft cheese with a creamy color, mild flavor and good melting qualities. Mild Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Muenster can be used as substitutes.

Mexican Chocolate: A mixture of chocolate, almonds, sugar and sometimes cinnamon and vanilla, ground together and formed into octagonal tablets. It is used in desserts, frothy chocolate beverages and in little amounts, to Insert a subtle flavor enrichment to some mole sauces.