As the Hispanic population of America grows and migrates across the country, the ingredients necessary for preparing authentic Mexican dishes are becoming easier to locate. Many of the basic items that are unique to Mexican cuisine can be purchased in markets that serve a Hispanic clientele as well as from produce vendors and tortillas factories that service Mexican restaurants.
Whereas most staples had to be imported directly from Mexico in the early years, El Sol de Tala is now able to purchase nearly everything locally. Many of the fresh ingredients listed below, such as bananas leaves, chile peppers, cactus pads, tomatillos, and pumpkin seed, require special preparation techniques. Once mastered, these simple techniques will contribute authentic Mexican flavor and flair to your completed dishes. As a shopping guide, the preferred brand names of prepared foods are included in the list.
Achiote
These bright seeds from the annatto plant are an integral part of the cuisine of the Yucatan. They are most often ground into a paste and used in seasonings rubs. Both the seeds and the paste are available in Mexican markets. best brand (El Yucateco brand).
Banana Leaves
Banana Leaves are used as wrappers for everything from tamales to barbecued meats, depending on which state of Mexico you visit. In the United States, banana leaves are found in the produce department of Hispanic grocery stores. cut the leaves to the size required for your dish; use metal tongs to hold them over and open flame until they are pliable enough to be folded easily without breaking.
Cajeta
This rich goat’s-milk caramel is good over crepes, ice cream, waffles, or pancakes. Although I’ll give a recipe for making your own cajeta, good commercial brands are available. (Coronado brand).
Cheese
Panela is a salty, feta-like cheese made from cow’s milk and then dried and formed in shallow baskets. It is crumbled or cubed and sprinkled over some appetizers, enchiladas, and salads. They are a lot of different types of cheese’s used on Mexican dishes like, Cotija Cheese, Fresco Cheese, or Añejo cheese, for melting on quesadillas, Chihuahua Cheese, or Oaxaca Cheese, this types of cheese’s are found in Hispanic grocery stores. (Supremo brand)
Chiles-Canned
Many of the recipes call for chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. A chipotle chile is a red-ripe jalapeño that has been dried and smoked. The canned product features chipotles packed in a thick adobo sauce made from ancho chiles, tomatoes, and spices. (San Marcos brand)Pickled jalapeños (jalapeños en escabeche) are whole jalapeños packed in tangy pickling brine, usually containing slices of carrots and pieces of onions as well. (San Marcos brand)
Chiles-Dried
Many varieties of dried chiles are used in many recipes of Mexican dishes I am going to mention a few of them on this blog. The ancho pepper is a rust-colored dry chile, broad at the stem end and narrowing to a triangular tip; anchos are poblanos that have ripened to a dark red color and dried. Anchos are used in many sauces. The mulato, a relative of the poblano, is dark brown and triangular. Ripened to a chocolate brown and dried, it is used in mole sauces. The shiny black pasilla chile, a dried chilaca chile, is narrow and five to six inches long. pasilla are used in sauces as well as fried and crumbled for a garnish.
Good-quality dried chiles should still be fragant and pliable. Wipe them carefully with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any dust. It’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves when handling all chiles.
To seed dried chiles, use a sharp paringknife to make a slit down the side and carefully scrape out the seeds.
To fry dried chiles for sauces, heat oil to shimmering and fry chiles for 10 to 15 seconds, turning once. (Don’t allow them to burn, or the resulting sauce will be bitter.) Remove and drain on paper towels.
To toast dried chiles, place them on a hot comal or dry skillet for 10 to 15 seconds; turn them once or twice, being careful not to burn them. after frying or toasting, chiles can be rehydrated by soaking them in very hot water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Chiles-Fresh
Jalapeños are the most recognizable Mexican chile and the easiest to find in the United States. The jalapeño is a fat, bullet-shaped, deep green chile, two to three inches long.In sauces, jalapeños can be substituted for serranos. The poblano is dark green, five to six inches long, and triangular in shape, with a wide stem end. strips of roasted poblano are made into rajas and are the basis for many chile relleno dishes. Serranos are thin, bullet-chaped chiles, dark green in color and two to three inches in length. Raw or roasted serranos add heat and flavor to many sauces.
Fresh chiles can be roasted until charred and blistered on a dry comal, under a broiler, or over an open flame, using tongs. For rajas and rellenos, put charred poblano chiles in a plastic bag and allow them to sweat for 10 to 15 minutes. Using rubber gloves, peel off the charred outer skin. (Do not peel chiles under running water or much of the roasted flavor will be lost) For rellenos, cut a slit down one side from the shoulder to the tip and scrape out the seed and membranes, being careful to keep the chile as intact as possible. For rajas cut off the stem end and slice the peppers lengthwise into thin, 1/4-inch strips.(Don’t rub your eyes, nose, mouth or other tender body areas while handling chiles. Capsaicin, the volatile substance that gives chiles their pungency, is stored in the seeds and membranes and will burn the skin.)
Mexican Chocolate
Mexican chocolate has a consistency that is completely different from the product to which we are accustomed in this country. I is pressed into squares with sugar and sometimes ground nuts and spices. Chop or grate it before adding it to sauces or milk for hot chocolate. (Abuelita brand)
