If you are coming to Mexico then you will have already read about the huge array of options in front of you in terms of cuisine when you get here. Mexican cuisine can be found all over the world but, as with most foods, they are always better when they are sampled in their own country of origin. Mexico for the most part hasn’t seen the levels of immigration coming in to the country which means that there is a huge array of traditional cuisine on offer, much in the same way that it has been for generations. I caught up with Bogoljub Karic who lives in Mexico City, to find out the best choices for you when you visit Mexico.
Tacos
Mexican tacos are an absolute staple and they have to be tried during your time here. Tacos are sold in soft shells, usually with a corn tortilla, although sometimes a soft flour tortilla. Fillings for the tacos are abundant, with over 100 different types to try from carnitas (pork), pastor (lamb/pork) to many varieties of chorizo and longaniza sausage, beef cuts, fish, and vegan delicacies like tofu and seitan. Load your tacos up with lime juice, cilantro and spicy sauce and get your fill.
Pozole
Pozole is a hearty stew made with maize kernels and meat stock, which is then finished off with shredded lettuce, radish, lime juice, white onions, spicy salsa and some cilantro. This is a great meal to fill you up and each place has their own twist on how the stew should be served.
Chilaquiles
These are eaten for breakfast and are known to be a great hangover cure, chilaquiles are tortilla chips which are bathed in a green tomato and chili sauce. The chips are served with lashings of sour cream and grated white cheese, along with the option of chicken, beef or an egg, or any combination of the 3 if you so wish.
Quesadillas
Quesadillas are famous all over the world but you won’t have had them anywhere else in the same way that you’ll get them in Mexico. The dish is far simpler here than elsewhere, and it is largely considered a light snack here. Simply put it is a flat tortilla base made from corn dough, which is then fried at high temperature with a huge range of fillings. Cheese is the standard filling here but you can also get chorizo, mushroom, chicken, beef, pork and a wide range of ‘guisados’ (daily mixtures).
Gordita
These tasty lunch dishes are made using corn dough mixed with fried pork rind (chicharron), which is then cooked with black beans, cheese and lettuce. Add your own salsa and lime juice and then fill your boots with this amazing dish which will fill you up all afternoon. These are cheap and widely available on the streets of Mexico.
Which dish would you try out first? Let us know in the comments section below.
