Source:- Google.com.pk
Mexican cuisine is primarily a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish, elements added after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. The basic staples remain native foods such as corn, beans and chili peppers, but the Europeans introduced a large number of other foods, the most important of which were meat from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese) and various herbs and lots of spices.
While, the Spanish initially tried to impose their own diet on the country, this was not possible and eventually the foods and cooking techniques began to be mixed, especially in colonial era convents. Over the centuries, this resulted in various regional cuisines, based on local conditions such as those in Oaxaca, Veracruz and the Yucatán Peninsula. Mexican cuisine is closely tied to the culture, social structure and popular traditions of the country. The most important example of this connection is the use of mole for special occasions and holidays, particularly in the South and Center regions of the country. For this reason and others, Mexican cuisine was added by UNESCO to its list of the world’s "intangible cultural heritage".
Mexican cuisine is as complex as any of the great cuisines in the world, such as those of India, China, France, Italy and Turkey.[1] It is created mostly with ingredients native to Mexico as well as those brought over by the Spanish conquistadors, with some new influences since then.[2] In addition to staples such as corn and chili peppers, native ingredients include tomatoes, squashes, avocados, cocoa and vanilla,[3] as well as ingredients not generally used in other cuisines such as edible flowers, vegetables such as huauzontle and papaloquelite or small criollo avocados, whose skin is edible.[4] European contributions include pork, chicken, beef, cheese, herbs and spices and some fruits. Tropical fruits such as guava, prickly pear, sapote, mangoes, bananas, pineapple and cherimoya (custard apple) are popular, especially in the center and south of the country.[5] It has been debated how much Mexican food is still indigenous and how much is European.[6] However, the basis of the diet is still corn and beans with chili pepper as a seasoning as they are complementary foods.[7]
Corn Despite the introduction of wheat and rice to Mexico, the basic starch remains corn in almost all areas of the country. While it is eaten fresh, most corn is dried, treated with lime and ground into a dough.[8][9] This dough is used both fresh and fermented to make a wide variety of dishes from drinks (atole, pozol, etc.) to tamales, to sopes and much more. However, the most common way to eat corn in Mexico is in the form of a tortilla, which accompanies almost every dish. Tortillas are made of corn in most of the country, but other versions exist, such as wheat in the north or plantain, yuca and wild greens in Oaxaca.The other basic ingredient in all parts of Mexico is the chili pepper.[10] Mexican food has a reputation for being very spicy, but its seasoning can be better described as strong. Many dishes also have subtle flavors.[1][4] Chili peppers are used for their flavors and not just their heat, with Mexico using the widest variety of chili peppers. If a savory dish or snack does not contain chili pepper, hot sauce is usually added, and chili pepper is often added to fresh fruit and sweets.[10] The importance of the chili pepper goes back to the Mesoamerican period, where it was considered to be as much of a staple as corn and beans. In the 16th century, Bartolomé de las Casas wrote that without chili peppers, the indigenous people did not think they were eating. Even today, most Mexicans believe that their national identity would be at a loss without it.[7]
Many dishes in Mexico are defined by their sauces and the chili peppers those sauces contain, rather than the meat or vegetable that the sauce covers. These dishes include entomatada (in tomato sauce), adobo or adobados, pipians and moles. A hominy soup called pozole is defined as white, green or red depending on the chili pepper sauce used or omitted. Tamales are differentiated by the filling which is again defined by the sauce (red, green, chili pepper strips or mole). Dishes without a sauce are rarely eaten without a salsa or without fresh or pickled chili peppers. This includes street foods such as tacos, tortas, soups, sopes, tlacoyos, tlayudas, gorditas and sincronizadas.[11] For most dishes, it is the type of chili used that gives it its main flavor.[7] Spanish contributions[edit]
The main contributions of the Spanish were meat and cheese, as the Mesoamerican diet contained very little meat besides domesticated turkey, and dairy products were completely unknown. The Spanish also introduced the technique of frying in pork fat. Today, the main meats found in Mexico are pork, chicken, beef, goat, and sheep. Native seafood remains popular especially along the coasts.[12] Cheesemaking in Mexico has evolved its own specialties. It is an important economic activity, especially in the north, and is frequently done at home. The main cheese making areas are Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Querétaro, and Chiapas. Goat cheese is still made, but it is not as popular and is harder to find in stores.[13]
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
Mexican Recipes Recipes for Kids in Urdu for Desserts for Dinner for Chicken with Ground Beef In Hindi for Cakes for Cookies Photos
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