Creating Authentic Mexican Food Using Quality Spices

Lots of people make food with a Mexican flavour but to get that authentic, just-out-of-Mexico taste you need to understand not just the common ingredients but how to put food and flavours together. In short, to make an authentic Mexican meal you need to understand Mexican spices, and central ingredients such as onion and garlic.
Well known Mexican spices include: chilli, cumin, coriander and paprika. You've probably heard of these. Bay leaves and thyme are also well known. You may not have heard of hibiscus flowers, Mexican sesame seeds, or epazote, which are also used to cook authentic Mexican food. Another interesting spice you may not have heard of is canella or "white cinnamon".
Although you may have heard of cloves, star anise and cinnamon, perhaps you have never thought of adding them to your Mexican meal and yet, real Mexican food uses these ingredients as well: you'll never get an authentic Mexican flavour without them!
Another unexpected spice used to create authentic Mexican dishes is cocoa. It contributes a warm, hearty flavour and adds richness. This is particularly true when, along with peanut butter, it is mixed in with the rest of a sauce. Raisins are also used at times to balance a dish that may otherwise be too sharp or sour.
As with many international foods, Mexicans have a "spice mix" that is often used to create a flavour base, then built up from there. If the Thai's have green or red curry paste, the Chinese have five spice powder and the Indian's have garam marsala, the authentic Mexican mixed spice mix is "recado rojo", also referred to as "achiote paste". Achiote is another key Mexican flavour.
Of course, the type and way a spice is prepared is also important. For example, what type of chilli? There is one than one variety of chilli – hot red, jalapeño, green, mild red, and so many more. Once you've identified the type of chilli, how should it be prepared? Should it be fresh, chopped, powered, dried flakes, pan-fried first, or added last? If the recipe requires coriander, should you add spoonfuls of the ground, dried coriander or use a fresh bunch of herbs from your local supermarket? Is the cumin powdered or whole seeds?
Thankfully, authentic Mexican recipes will tell you these kinds of details. Once you become familiar with particular combinations and flavour results you'll start to need less guidance. To get you started, here's a warming Mexican-style chicken casserole recipe. It goes very well with rice and Mexican condiments on the side, such as pickled chilli, chutneys and a green salad. With this dish, the stock you use is very important, and if you can slow-cook the chicken broth, this will give the flavours more time to meld, so it tastes even better.
Green Chicken Broth
Ingredients:

--AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY--
Chelsi Woolz enjoys cooking healthy food for her friends and family and is always on the look out for new Mexican recipes. Lately, she has been experimenting with authentic Mexican spices and working out how to use them.

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