Ingredient Ideology | Taste Of Mexican Delights By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef
/Colorful & Vibrant Mexican delicacies to Indulge into.
The flavours of Mexican foods are not only inviting and appealing to us but also easy to adapt into our daily recipes as well. From the chili and peppers to the salsa, nachos and tacos! this cuisine has so much to offer that it gets difficult to pick and choose between the options. Mexican ingredients are easily available from assorted fresh vegetables to the corn meal, the tortillas, jalapenos, peppers and tomatoes for the salsa. The kitchens of Mexico also have a wide array of non-veg ingredients too including chicken, eggs, fish and seafood, red meat as well in some recipes.
The methods of cooking in this cuisine are easy to follow and also doesn’t really call for any unusual equipment’s as well. Pots and pans, griddles and hot plates, fryers and ovens are some of the most commonly used mediums. The steps involved in the recipes are short and easy to follow keeping in mind the nutritive aspects as well in most recipes. While they do love to have their foods well presented with accompaniments and garnishes there is a lot more which we can think of as well when it comes to fusion with mexican recipes.
Here are a few simple recipes from Mexico with my little twist of taste attached to make them more palatable and delicious!
Recipe-1] MEXI- BEAN VEGGIE SOUP
Ingredients:
Oil/ olive oil-1 tbsp.
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Onion-1 small chopped
Red chilies-1-2 slit
Carrot-1 small peeled and cubed
Potato- 1 small peeled and cubed
Kidney beans/ rajma-1/2 cup boiled.
Green capsicum-1/2 no cubed.
Sweet corn-1/4 cup boiled.
Tomato puree-1/2 cup
Salt and crushed black pepper to taste
Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
White vinegar-1 tsp
Sugar-1 pinch
Veg stock/ water- 3-4 cups
Black/green olives/ jalapeno peppers- 2-3 tsp sliced
Avocado-1 ripe, peeled and cubed for garnish.
Parsley/coriander leaves- 2 tsp chopped.
Method:
1. Assemble all the ingredients for the mexican style bean veggie soup.
2. Heat oil in a pan add in the garlic and onions saute for 1 min add in the vegetables, boiled beans, corn, capsicum and tomato puree saute for 2 mins.
3. Add in the salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes and mix well. Add in the water/veg stock and bring to a boil, simmer for 15-20 mins.
4. Check for seasonings and texture and adjust accordingly, add in the white vinegar, pinch of sugar and parsley or coriander and mix. Portion the soup in a soup bowl and top with avocado and fresh herbs, olives, jalapenos etc and serve hot.
Recipe-2] MEXICAN CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad:
Assorted iceberg lettuce/ purple- white cabbage-1 cup
For the body of the salad:
Sweet corn-1 cup boiled
Avocado-1 ripe, peeled and cubed
Onion-1 med sized sliced
Tomato-1 med sized cubed
Assorted capsicums-1/2 cup cubed
Sprouts-1/2 cup.
Cucumber- 1 no cubed.
For the dressing:
Olive oil-2-3 tbsp.
Mustard paste-1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Lime juice-2 -3 tbsp.
Chopped parsley-2 tsp
Chopped mint-2 tsp
Chopped green chilies-1 tsp
Flax seeds/ sunflower seeds- 2 tsp
Honey-1 tbsp.
Dates-2-3 chopped.
Sliced almonds/cashews-4-5 no
Red chili sauce-2 tsp
Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
For the garnish of the salad:
Assorted fresh herbs/ seeds/ nuts/ pomegranate seeds/ olives etc
Method:
1. Assemble all the ingredients for the salad recipe as listed.
2. Arrange the base of the salad or assorted greens in the serving bowl or on the salad plates.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine together the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.
4. Just before serving the salad combine the ingredients of the body and dressing together and give it a nice toss.
5. Portion out the salad on the base and garnish appropriately and serve.
Recipe-3] SPICY CHICKEN SALSA TACOS
Ingredients
Taco shells- 10-12 no
For the base in the taco shells:
White/purple cabbage-1 cup shredded
Lime juice-2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped mint/coriander leaves-2 tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
Mix and chill for 20 mins.
For the chicken mixture:
Oil-2 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Green chilies-1 tsp chopped
Onion-1 small chopped
Chicken shredded-1 cup boneless boiled.
Salt, pepper, chili flakes to taste
Tomato ketchup-2-3 tsp
Red chili sauce-2 tsp
White vinegar-1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves-2 tsp.
For the salsa mixture:
Tomatoes-1 cup chopped
Green chilies-1 tsp chopped
Jalapenos/olives/gherkins-2-3 tsp sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Capsicum-1/2 no chopped
Tabasco/Capsico sauce-1 tsp
Pinch of sugar
Coriander leaves-2 tsp chopped
Mix and chill for 20 mins.
Method:
1. Assemble ingredients for the various components of the recipe.
2. Prepare the salsa and base mixture for the tacos and chill.
3. Heat oil saute the garlic, chilies, onions and add in the boiled chicken pieces/shreds and saute on a high flame for 1 min, add tomato sauce, chili sauce, vinegar and cook for few mins, remove and keep aside.
4. Finally just before serving place the base of cabbage in the taco shells top with the prepared cooled chicken filling and top with the tangy tasty salsa and garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Recipe-4] MUSHROOM & COTTAGE CHEESE CHIMICHANGAS
Ingredients:
For the wrapper:
Readymade tortilla rotis- 4-6 no
Or else whole wheat/ flour/corn meal based rotis- 4-6 no.
For the filling of chimichangas:
Oil-2 tsp + as needed for cooking/ frying.
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Green chilies-1 tsp chopped
Spring Onion-1 small chopped
Sliced mushrooms- 8-10 no
Paneer-1 cup grated
Capsicum-1 no chopped
Salt, pepper, herbs and chili flakes to taste
Red chili sauce + green chili sauce + soy sauce- 2 tsp each
Spring onion greens-2-3 tbsp. chopped
Grated cheese-1/4 cup
To serve with: salsa sauce as listed in the above recipe for tacos.
Method:
1. Prepare the wrappers for the chimichangas by either using readymade tortilla wraps or prepare chapattis using variety of flours as desired.
2. To prepare the filling, heat oil and butter in a pan add in the garlic and onions and saute until light pink add in the sliced mushrooms, capsicums, salt, pepper, herbs and chili flakes to taste.
3. Cook for 2-3 mins and add in the grated cottage cheese or paneer and mix, cook for another 2-3 mins, turn off the flame add in the spring onion greens and cheese and mix well.
4. Place the wrapper on a work station and place the prepared filling in the center of the wrapper carefully close up the sides by folding them in and securing it up.
5. If we are using a fresh dough to make chimichangas we use a maida water thick paste to seal the edges if using readymade wrappers, we can just roll them up.
6. Using a non-stick tava or a griddle pan we can cook the chimichangas using little oil to a nice golden brown color but in case of using a freshly made dough concept we can deep fry the sealed chimichangas as well to a nice crusty color and remove, drain excess oil, cut and serve or top with salsa sauce, cheese sauce or sour cream and enjoy.
Recipe-5] TEX- MEX RICE WITH CHICKEN
Ingredients
For the rice mixture:
Oil-1 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Bay leaf- 2 no
Pepper corns- 4-5 no
Sliced onions-1 no
Garlic- ginger-1 tsp chopped
Slit green and red chilies- 2-3 each
Boiled white/brown rice- 1 and a half cup cooked.
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp
Saffron- 8-10 strands soaked in ½ cup milk
Parsley/mint/coriander-2 tbsp. chopped
For the chicken mixture at the base of the pot:
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-2 tsp
Chicken drumsticks/ thighs- 500 gms or 4-5 pieces.
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic- ginger-chili paste-1 tsp mix
Onion-1 small chopped
Tomato puree-1 cup
White wine- 2-3 tbsp.
Cooked beans- rajma/chickpeas etc-1/2 cup,
Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Chili flakes, herbs to taste or use mexican peri peri spice powder-1 tsp
Water/stock-1 cup just to cook up the chicken
To assemble:
Sliced jalapenos/ black olives/ green olives- 2-3 tsp sliced
Cheese- 3-4 tbsp.
To serve alongside-a bowl of crispy nacho chips.
Method:
1. Assemble all ingredients as listed to fix the one pot meal.
2. Heat oil and butter and add in the ingredients one by one and saute onions, add tomato puree, salt, spices and chicken pieces, wine, cooked or boiled beans and saute for 2 mins, add water or stock and allow to cook 12-15 mins.
3. Heat oil and butter in another pan and saute the spices, garlic, ginger, onions, chilies and add in the rice and saffron solution, salt and pepper to taste and simmer or cook in steam for 4-6 mins.
4. Layer the rice over the chicken but in between add cheese, olives, jalapenos, herbs, coriander and then the rice. Close the pot with a tight fitting lid and cook on a low flame for 10-12 mins in steam. Open and serve hot.
Recipe-6] DESI CHOCOLATE EMPANADAS
Ingredients:
For the wrappers:
Maida-1/2 cup
Salt-1 pinch
Powdered sugar-1 tsp
Oil- 1 tsp
Baking powder-1/4 tsp
Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp
Warm water- as needed.
For the stuffing:
Brownies- ½ cup crumbled
Desi pedha-2-3 no crumbled.
Assorted chopped nuts-2 tsp
Chocolate chips-2-3 tsp
Chocolate sauce-2 tsp
Oil to fry
To top and serve with:
Powdered sugar/ chocolate sauce and serve with scoop of vanilla ice-cream/ also try serving them with some chilled rabdi.
Method:
1. Prepare the dough for the empanada wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen cloth and keep aside to rest for 12- 15 mins.
2 In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the stuffing and mix them all well, add a little rum or brandy for flavor.
3. Roll out the dough into a thin chapati, using a glass cutter or a cookie cutter cut out the round discs and apply little maida water thick paste on the edges.
4. Place the prepared chocolate stuffing on one side and carefully close it like a half moon shape, seal the edges with a fork and deep fry in medium hot oil for 3-5 mins until nicely golden browned, remove and drain excess oil and serve hot garnished appropriately.
