Must-try Mexican Food on Your Vacation
When you talk about Mexico, you imagine amazing beaches with white sand, blue-turquoise sea, palm trees, and coconuts. Undoubtedly, these elements of the Caribbean region are an essential part of why people go on a trip to Mexico. But you can’t really get to know and experience Mexican culture without tasting the best traditional Mexican food.
Mexico is considered a unique culinary destination with its cuisine and traditions dating back 9000 years. In fact, UNESCO named traditional Mexican cuisine as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2010. It is not for nothing that some Mexican dishes are considered popular dishes that are sold all over the world today.
Between taco and burrito stands on the side of the street to a prestigious and authentic restaurant that offers food of the highest Mexican cuisine. Mexico has it all and is full of unique flavors. We have put together for you some of the flagship Mexican dishes that you cannot miss during your vacation in Mexico:
Taco
Everyone knows what a taco is, the food is already known in almost every country in the world! But the tasty and historical taco is one of the most prominent aspects that characterize the cultural diversity of Mexico. The most popular food in Mexico is on the list because of the endless amount of fillings you’ll find and the different forms a taco can come in. You’ll find versions made with many types of tortillas, including harina (flour), corn (maize), and pan-arba (flatbreads) along with fillings ranging from grilled meats to crispy fried fish. You can even find variations that are rolled and cooked on a clay pan until crispy. When you visit Mexico, make sure to try as many different types of tacos as you can that you haven’t tried before.
Several recommended restaurants:
• Don Sirlion – Playa del Carmen
• El Fogon – Playa del Carmen
• Burrito Gordito – Cozumel
• Kin Toh – Tulum
• Burrito Amor – Tulum
Burrito
A burrito is one of the most recommended Mexican meals when you feel like eating something “on the go”. The typical burrito consists of a wholemeal tortilla roll and a variety of salty ingredients. The tortilla is sometimes lightly grilled, or heated to make it softer and more flexible, allowing it to stick to itself when wrapped. Although the traditional burritos are filled with beef, you can adjust them however you want and fill them according to your personal taste, so that everyone can enjoy the indulgent burrito meal.
Elotes
On almost every corner of the streets of Mexico, you can find someone selling traditional elotes. This delightful street food is the Mexican name for corn on the cob. The snack is mainly prepared by boiling some sweet corn and then serving it on a stick. Just like a popsicle! If you prefer to eat it less messy, you can also have it in cups with the kernels cut from the cob. And in addition, you can add generous amounts of spices such as salt, chili powder, lime, butter, cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
Guacamole
We all know about guacamole. This is without a doubt one of the most popular foods in Mexico! This treat is usually made from mashed avocado and mixed with onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, and chili peppers. Sometimes several cloves of garlic are added to strengthen flavors. Guacamole is often eaten with tortilla chips as a dip or sometimes used as a side to meals.
Enchiladas
Another dish that still belongs to the ancient Mayan period is the famous enchilada. Those were the days when people in the Valley of Mexico ate corn tortillas wrapping small fish. Nowadays, these corn and flour tortillas are used and filled with meat, cheese, seafood, beans, vegetables, or even everything altogether! The stuffed tortillas are covered in an aromatic and salty chili sauce making it one of the best traditional breakfast dishes out there.
Tamales
The Aztec, Mayan, and Inca tribes were the first people to create tamales. This dish was created from the need to prepare for the warriors who went on battle campaigns and needed nutritious food. Tamales are a local Mexican delicacy made from pockets of corn dough filled with a sweet or savory filling and then wrapped in fragrant banana leaves or corn husks. These wraps are then cooked by steaming. The tamales are filled with whatever you want! Sometimes they range from meats and cheeses to fruits, vegetables, or chili.
Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles are undoubtedly the most popular breakfast in the country. Made of triangular pieces of fried or toasted corn tortilla, called totopo, drenched in red or green hot sauce, topped with shredded chicken, chorizo, shredded beef, and a scrambled or sunny side-up egg. It is garnished with fresh cheese, cilantro, and sliced onion and served with refried beans on the side.
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