Mexico is home to some of the worlds most colourful, flavourful and unique dishes. It’s so good in fact that UNESCO recognises it! That’s right, UNESCO awarded Mexican food with the title of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and it’s not hard to see why. Authentic Mexican dishes rely heavily on herbs, citrus, slow-cooked sauces and heavy meats to create a depth in taste that is unparalleled.
The Best Mexican Dishes To Try
1. Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles are a necessity for any Mexican breakfast. The dish consists of a bed of fried tortilla strips topped with green or red salsa, pulled chicken, sunny side up egg and cheese. Chilaquiles are delicious and go great with a generous helping of frijoles and big glass of jugo de naranja (orange juice).
2. Pollo en Mole
Pollo en Mole, or in English, chicken in mole is hard to find outside of Mexico, making it a must-try while there. The mole (pronounced mow-leh) sauce is the star of the show loaded with spices, dried chilis, onions, fresh fruit and often times chocolate. There are many different types of mole, but the most popular ones contain chocolate and have a very distinct taste of spice and cocoa.
3. Tamales
Tamales were first invented by Mesoamericans as far back as 8000-5000 BC. These steamed corn husks were so good in fact that they were considered sacred to the Gods. The corn husk, or sometimes banana leaves, are filled with corn dough, and seasoned meats then steamed to perfection. Once they are ready, you unwrap the shell and devour. Then order ten more.
4. Birria
The two main ingredients of this hearty and spicy stew are either goat, mutton or beef and chilis. It’s robust, meaty, savoury and oh so tasty. Though it can be eaten year-round, it’s particularly famous during celebrations such as weddings or holidays like Christmas and Easter.
5. Enchiladas
Enchiladas are another Mexican dish that got its start in ancient times. Mayans first got the idea for enchiladas by wrapping fish in a corn tortilla. One thing led to another and now centuries later you can order them in 20 different styles with all sorts of sauces, fillings and toppings!
6. Tacos al Pastor
Tacos are easily the world’s most popular Mexican food and are one of the best things to eat there. The options are limitless, so we suggest trying tacos al pastor. Pastor is spit grilled pork and a very close cousin to shawarma.
A little known secret is that Pastor is a lovechild of Lebanese and Mexican cuisine. Lebanese immigrants brought their famous lamb techniques to Mexico and blended it with a regional flavour, and the countries love for pork.
7. Pozole
Speaking of pork, our next dish is pozole. Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup made with hominy (ground kernels) and either pork or chicken. Aztecs believed that humans were created by the corn God which made hominy a sacred food. Because of this, it was usually a big dish during ceremonies and has managed to survive the test of time.
Ever since I watched Coco with my boyfriend three years ago, I always was curious about what exactly is tamales, so it’s probably about time to try Mexican food on our next date. It’s surprising to me how it is apparently a meat dish. I always assumed it was like a rice cake delicacy.