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How to Authenticate Your Mexican-Inspired Cooking and Dishes

Chef cooks meat and vegetables on pan with freshly cut cilantro on the side.

If you’ve lived in Texas long enough (especially in the city of El Paso), you’ll know that people do not consider “Tex-Mex” and “Mexican” one and the same. When it comes to crafting Mexican dishes, there are specific ingredients and foods used to give it that extra kick of authenticity. If you’ve been searching for the perfect source of Mexican culinary guidance and expertise, then you’ve come to the right place! We discuss the power of incorporating simple ingredients into your dishes to cultivate Hispanic influences of taste. 

Challenge Your Taste Buds with Jalapenos 

As spicy as jalapenos might seem, they are quite tasty when you apply them to the right meals! It is important to take extra precaution when preparing meals with jalapenos as they are also hot within their internal makeup and mucous membranes. Avoid touching your face, hair, and eyes until the burning substance of the jalapenos is free from your hands. When cooking with jalapenos, you should waft the vapor gently with your hand as opposed to leaning directly over your cooking pot. Fumes, especially with hot substances, can burn your face and eyes. Overall, don’t be afraid to incorporate jalapeno into cuisines such as fajitas, steak, chile con queso, and much more! 

Cilantro: The Original Mexican “Verdura” 

Doctors say that some of the healthiest vegetables are the green, leafy ones. Cilantro provides you with the best of both worlds: a variety of taste and health benefits, all in one! When cooking with cilantro, there is no need to remove the leaves from their stems. The stems are rather gentle and are just as tasty as the leaves! Cilantro is often used in salsas, fajita dishes, soup, and as a finishing condiment for taco plates. You’ll find yourself yearning for the taste of cilantro the more you add it into your Mexican meals! 

Squeeze Lime Juice for a Final, Savory Touch 

With the way in which it adds life and flavor, lime juice could be considered the “nectar of the gods”. Adding lime over dishes is a popular fad amongst the Mexican culture. Lime juice is often added to grilled meats, fruits, vegetable salads, drinks, tacos (of all kinds) and potato chips! It’s indubitable that lime juice makes plenty of Mexican foods and snacks even tastier by balancing and bringing out a realm of flavors. 

Dry Roast Your Vegetables and Ingredients for a Twist of Flavor 

Many Mexican recipes involve dry roasted vegetables or foods such as tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, garlic, and many others by utilizing a skillet or an oven. This is called “dry roasting” because it does not involve any oils, greases, or fat. It is simply all about giving your raw vegetables a roasted kick! You can dry roast your food to your liking. You can allow for the food to reach a golden color or sit to reach a more crispy burn on the skin. When dry roasting dried chili peppers or jalapenos, it is advised that you watch them carefully as they can burn quickly. If a pepper is even a bit too roasted, it can make your entire meal taste bitter. 

Make Room for Extra Spices and Toppings 

If you’re familiar with the nature of Mexican dishes, you’ll notice that some dishes are often smothered with additional toppings such as queso fundido (melted cheese), sour cream, guacamole, and much more. It’s hard to not throw in these toppings and condiments when craving an extra zing with your dish! You also don’t want to use too much of it either as it can override the taste of the meal overall. Too much cream and melted cheesy can very easily mute the very flavors you hope to experience. With just the right amount, you’ll be fascinated by the creation of flavors by the combination! 

Rice and Beans: The Perfect Side Dish

If you’re set on the main entree you want to cook, but don’t know which sides would go with it, rice and beans never falter in Mexican cuisines! Homecooked beans are often much more flavorful and original as opposed to canned produce. Rice is often added with soups, stews, and broths. By allowing rice to soak in your soap, or “caldos”, you provide it with moist and quenching flavors. It’s without a doubt that you can never go wrong with homemade beans and rice!

Make Your Meals Adventurous and Exciting with Productos Real 

Productos Real is always fully stocked with seasoned meats and produce for all your cooking needs. Contact us today to learn more about our products and what they offer.


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