Your Quick Guide to the Authentic Flavors of Mexico

Travelers are often surprised and delighted when they get that first taste of real Mexican food. The further away you get from a cuisine’s region of origin, the more the recipes change to compensate for local tastes and scarce ingredients until the result tastes nothing like the original.

These borrowed elements, changed, and omitted elements persist in the majority of restaurants and sometimes the only way to get an authentic Mexican meal is to do some travelling – unless you’re ready to undertake the research necessary to prepare these rewarding recipes at home.

The Elements of Mexican Cuisine

Flexibility is the biggest benefit of knowing the traditional ingredients of Mexican cuisine. Knowing the nature and purpose of each mainstay ingredient makes those ethnic food markets much easier to navigate, and once you know which ingredients are available locally, putting together a list of authentic recipes becomes so much easier.

The spices and chili peppers deserve a dedicated course of study. You’ll notice everyday salsas and sauces using chilies, and these versatile peppers act as the foundation for the many types of interesting and sometimes complicated mole sauces.

We suggest buying certain spices, herbs, and chilies online if you cannot find adequate varieties locally – many of these ingredients can last a long time and stretch through many meals.

Most of the ingredients used in traditional Mexican recipes are very familiar but these chilies and spices, combined with the preparation techniques we’ll discuss next, are what give the ordinary components those distinctive regional flavors.

Region-Specific Techniques to Make the Difference

Corn is a great example of an ordinary ingredient that finds its full potential in the traditional preparation techniques of Mexico. Corn tortillas rival flour tortillas for popularity, but you can also transform corn into dough for tamales and even drinks.

Mexican cooking presents a wide variety of readily available meat options. Whatever you have in your freezer, whether beef, chicken, pork, or even seafood, you are sure to find a recipe that can transform it into something special. Mexico boasts several ways to barbeque, braise, roast, and stew anything from tongue to shank.

Many recipes will call for beans, peas, tomatoes, and avocado – many of the mainstay Mexican flavors are very familiar but as we mentioned, ingredients and preparation techniques that come straight from the source are worlds apart from ethnic restaurant interpretations.

The authentic flavors of Mexico are not out of reach. With the right preparation techniques, the right tools, and access to a few specialty lentils and spices, you’ll be able to recreate the authentic flavors of Mexico while enjoying every step of the process.

if you’re exploring the wonderful flavors of Mexico and want to try out some amazingly easy recipes – download this really affordable Cooking Mexican Digital Cookbook by James Mahoney. It’s a great little eBook with a series of really easy and authentic Mexican starter recipes.